Dualism
by Vanya-Deyja
Summary: At twenty-two Yugi has moved on from the Pharaoh's departure fairly well but when a charming mystery man named Atemu appears everything is turned upside down. Again. Y/YY.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey there everybody! This is a two chapter YuGiOh mini fic I wrote especially for you lovely lot for Christmas though there's no Christmas in it. Excuse the irony. Anyway my sincerest wishes you enjoy your holidays, where ever you are, and a big thank you to anyone who still comments on my old YGO stuff.

Chapter 2 will be out in the next three or so days but as this is a rush job everything is badly edited. However hopefully you can forgive me knowing Chapter 2 is the second and final half of this fic.

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><p>Chapter 1: Flashbacks<p>

Jonouchi was a pain to watch in any kind of nightclub and Yugi was accustomed to being embarrassed by him. Since eighteen had rolled around Jonouchi had taken to celebrating in the claustrophobic cluster fucks that punctuated Japan for no reason at all. He hated to drink, which was one small benefit, but he seemed enthralled with the pounding music, the girls, the trash talking, the nonsense…

Yugi appreciated not having to be the designated driver for once, as he often was miserably, but being the sensible type and having absorbed plenty of adventure when he was sixteen he would rather have been home reading. A little console gaming, a little fudge and a bath were Yugi's preferred ways of spending a Friday night but no one else would go clubbing with Jonouchi anymore. He'd gotten Honda and Otogi involved in enough bar fights for them to refuse so the duty fell to Yugi, as his best friend, to keep him from getting himself in another. Yugi supposed it was that sense of duty, or at least knowledge of the kind of gang related trouble Jonouchi easily got embroiled in, that made him feel obligated to attend the outings with Jou.

He had always felt a little bit of pride in protecting his friends and the prospect wasn't so daunting anymore. As always Yugi was just happy to _have_ friends. Besides even though Jonouchi did have a lot of fun Yugi knew it was a touchy line for him between that fun and foul memories. Clubs tended to transport him back to a bad place: a crew of trash talking guys or some drunken slob backhanding his girlfriend were enough to send Jonouchi into a fury. Yugi wasn't afraid of dealing with any of the above. He'd faced enough near death experiences that as far as he was concerned so long as the world didn't end anything else that could go wrong was just underwhelming. It certainly made the whole university process calmer.

So Yugi had accompanied Jonouchi on one long, tedious, train ride to Tokyo for a Friday night spectacle. He went under the condition that Yugi would be home and sober enough to put in a few hours at the Game Shop Sunday for his Grandfather.

Jonouchi was set to score, even if he was a clutz all over the dance floor and too sober to have any excuse for it. That was just the nature of his indomitable luck. Yugi watched him after a few blurry hours, taking a breather, from a bar stool in the technicolour dreamland. Jonouchi moved like a cat caught in a washer but he had charisma. The girls gravitated to his lean body and thick blonde hair if for nothing else. Jonouchi didn't come across as the type to be overtly sexual which made him a safer target to more girls but he certainly looked like the type to put out for a one night stand. Jonouchi had promised Yugi there'd be no such fooling around but Yugi was quietly assured there would be and by the end of the night he'd have to find himself a place to stay.

He didn't mind at all. He was happy for Jonouchi and Yugi wasn't any better with girls now than he was eight years ago. Though that might've been a slight exaggeration… Yugi knew enough of gaming to see their moves, their strategy, anticipate and defend but he just wasn't exciting material in a place like this. What do you say to a group of drunken Tokyo Lolitas? _Hi my name is Yugi, I'm the world champion in Duel Monsters and I'm currently studying in history and archaeology? _Yes because saying he liked rocks and card games would go down well. Saying he was a twenty-two year old virgin would break the ice even better! This wasn't to say Yugi wasn't confident in himself or his ability to date, those two things had been filled with self esteem after all that world saving business, it was just that a club like this wasn't the best locale for quiet guys like him.

He sipped a little of his drink, something obnoxiously fluoro and fruity, which would be called a girly drink if any of his guy friends had been around to tease him for it. He was quite content to just keep an eye on Jonouchi for a while. He appreciated peace now. Oh he was still dying for wild excitement but he'd learned to appreciate the slow times when he had the fortune of receiving them. The universe, as it so often did in the life of Yugi Mutou, seemed to have decided however that tonight was as good a night as any for a grand new adventure. The universe was a bitch like that. Yugi considered it interstellar PMS to explain the coming and going.

Yugi knew he was being watched before he bothered to look at whoever was watching him. They were a little ways away and Yugi had a sense they were fairly harmless. He was simply surprised his fighting instincts hadn't left him yet after his latest six month lull. When they seemed to make no move closer Yugi eventually cast a little look over his shoulder as though generally regarding the bar. His little observer was-

…

Yugi kept his face tightly calmed and fighting the urge to glue his eyes on the man scanned the rest of the bar before turning back to his drink so his could gape to himself. The man was an illusion, surely, he looked just like…

No, Yugi thought about it. There was no way it could be the Pharaoh. There'd been no big bad feelings of shadow magic stirring in his gut lately and his friend was at peace in the afterlife he so rightly deserved. The Pharaoh wouldn't come back to face some new foe now Zork was defeated but he would always watch over Yugi, he knew, so then this man was some kind of imposter. It might not be anything sinister just that Yugi was so highly strung he was suspicious. For all he knew it was just a Duel Monsters' fan boy. There were plenty of them in Tokyo and there were enough gawdy Lolitas and Gyarus around for some cosplayer to be fairly comfortable. Still, he had his doubts.

He cast another curious little glance at the man, who seemed to be pretending not to stare back, and considered him more carefully. Nothing about his hair, his face or his eyes seemed fake at all. Every bit of him looked effortless and organic. Even his straight posture was like the Pharaoh. The way he held his drink or the colour of his skin weren't practiced they were just like Yami. There was no way anyone could replicate Yami so perfectly without knowing him because this man had such an easy way about it all. Besides that he didn't look like Yugi did when he was being possessed by the Pharaoh. His skin was dark and his eyes were brilliant vermillion. He looked like the Pharaoh had back in Egypt.

He considered talking to him. Was it a trap? A test? Would the Pharaoh need to test him again? No, he still hadn't made sense as to why the Pharaoh would be back in the first place. Then, who would know enough or hold enough against him to try and make a trap like this? Well either way the man didn't seem to be giving him much choice to dodge a confrontation when he approached Yugi.

"Hi," he began as an attempt to gather Yugi's attention which he didn't seem to register was already acutely geared towards him, "are you Yugi Mutou?"

His Japanese was fairly dreadful but it was clear enough even with an accent. It was a familiar accent at that, Arabic? There was a beautiful lilt to his words.

"Hi," Yugi greeted as charmingly as he could, "I am yeah."

"I knew I recognised you!" He elaborated thrusting out his hand. "My name's Atemu I'm a duelist."

Yugi felt himself cringe visibly as he took the man's hand weakly. His fingers tightened around the hot digits as he let his mind race. No one knew the Pharaoh's true name. It had been a secret, buried with the Items, but his eyes roamed Atemu's face and he couldn't find any obvious deception.

"Really? Where are you from?"

"Egypt," he answered without any hesitation, "Duel Monsters hasn't really caught on there until the last few years. The competition circuit sucks."

"I know some great Egyptian Duelists," Yugi assured him as the Ishtars ran through his mind.

"Haven't had the pleasure of finding them yet myself then," he shrugged dismissively, "it's nice to meet you."

"You too," Yugi nodded a little surprised to find he was still holding the man's hand, their eyes locked. Embarrassed he snatched it back but it didn't appear to off put the man who took a seat beside him at the bar. "So what are you doing in Tokyo?"

"Apparently it's the gaming capital of the world," Atemu replied inducing another almost visible cringe, "and Duel Monsters is huge here. I figured there'd be some good competition, high stakes, a sort of working holiday."

"Plenty of good competition," the smaller boy promised as their knees brushed a little, unhappy that this man, this Atemu, was still taller than him like the Pharaoh had been even after Yugi had grown. "I'm here with my friend Katsuya Jonouchi."

"Oh right," Atemu murmured barely glancing away from Yugi, what little he did seek out the blonde Yugi felt was only to be polite, before focusing back on the pale young man like he some sort of phenomenon. "I'll have to challenge him later."

"Am I first?" Yugi joked.

"No," the tanned man assured him, "you're having a night off aren't you?"

"Yeah," Yugi smiled lightly, "what are you going to do in the mean time?"

He didn't think he was flirting but apparently something had been lost in translation because the handsome doppelganger gave him a saucy grin.

"Dance with you I think," he answered hotly, leaning in close enough to push their knees together firmly and bring their faces dangerously close. "If you'd allow me?"

"Sure," Yugi conceded brokenly despite himself.

It was all the permission Atemu needed to pull him to his feet by the hand and drag him out into the dance floor like a desperate kid. Atemu was quick to let his hands settle on Yugi and move them closer. Frankly Yugi should have been a little less touchy feely, he wasn't usually friendly with strangers like this but this man had Yami's face, his cheeky smirk, you couldn't turn that away. That face tricked Yugi's body into thinking it was the Pharaoh and hence already part of Yugi, safe, and relaxing. That wasn't a switch that flicked off easily.

"I can gloat about dancing with a world champion now," Atemu laughed, "will that do me any good here in Japan?"

"More good than most of the world," Yugi grinned allowing his arms to rest easily around the warm tan shoulders. "Duel Monsters is big but I doubt I've ever made a front page here even with all the Kaiba Corp tournaments and theme parks."

"You don't know?" Atemu seemed terribly amused by the fact.

"Don't read a lot of news papers," he admitted, "usually too distracted."

"So I don't have to worry about ending up in some tabloid?" The handsome man joked as they swayed along the rim of the packed gyrating crowd away from the throbbing music.

"I don't think so but so what if you do?" Yugi shrugged. "It's just gossip. Might even be a nice souvenir for your trip, especially if you're an attention whore."

"I tend to be," Atemu nodded seriously before a wicked grin spread across his features, conspiratorially enough to make even Yugi laugh merrily. This guy had a face and a name that were like passwords, express paths, to Yugi's heart. "Do you travel a lot?"

"As much as I can," Yugi answered happily, "I love it. I used to do it loads during high school but it's settled a little the last few years."

"Have you ever been to Egypt?" Atemu enquired curiously.

"Multiple times," he revealed in response. Any memory of Egypt made him happy. It was a place that brought his soul home, close to all the things that made Yugi himself, and all the things that had made his life so fortunate. He loved it even if he'd lost the Pharaoh there or perhaps _because_he'd lost the Pharaoh there. He felt more under Yami's protection in Egypt than even Domino. "I love it desperately."

"For our modern cities or our liberal sensibilities?" The other joked bumping their hips together with emphasis.

"Combination of reasons."

"Oh come now," Atemu pestered as he led the motion of their bodies without Yugi really realizing as much, "you have to give me more than that!"

"Well…" Yugi sighed lazily, his wrists hooking behind the warm bare neck. "I'm a history nut, if you don't think I'm a big enough nerd already, and it's got a lot of good memories for me."

"You're a bit pale to have relatives there, surely?"

"My grandfather and father were archaeologists," Yugi elaborated trying to keep himself as tight on details as he could. "I have some great friends there or from there too."

He had kept so much of those years as secretive as possible. That time was sacred to him, special, and no one apart from his friends who had been there could really understand the feeling. Other people didn't need to know, especially as they probably wouldn't believe him, but with Atemu it was so difficult to hold himself tightly. He had always been able to lean on Yami, always, Yami would catch him and would know every bit of him with utter acceptance.

"So well travelled, a great gamer, and cute," Atemu sighed glancing up theatrically as he counted off the list, "I don't know if I should be jealous, intimidated or horny."

Yugi laughed but he flushed furiously. He'd heard filth and flirting but this was a sacred face those little profanities were emerging from. Yami had been another part of himself, his best friend, his everything. To have his image talking to him like this felt sacrilegious and inappropriate. It was a sensation somewhere between masturbating in public and having a family member come onto him which weren't necessarily bad feelings they just threw him.

"You're taller than me if that helps." He shrugged struggling for a coherent response. He was tempted to flirt back but he couldn't yet bring himself too. It was only then it hit him that his suspicious thoughts had flown away in the last few moments.

"It's an advantage." Atemu grinned bringing their noses together pointedly as if to demonstrate the ease with which their height difference facilitated that movie-esque perfect kiss.

Perhaps that was just Yugi being hopeful.

"You do a lot of clubbing?" Yugi asked awkwardly at last to dispense the silence finally.

"No," he answered, "not at all. First time actually."

"Liar!" He accused the confidence. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-three," Atemu answered, "but I have excuses!"

"Oh really? You get so many girls naturally you don't need to hit the clubs?" Yugi made the jab before catching himself. He realized a little too late he'd fallen into the nearly sexualised banter Atemu had started. It made him flush and duck his head immediately.

It made Atemu, on the other hand, laugh boisterously.

"I wish!" He cackled. "No, I was locked up in a tower for all the good years of my adolescence."

"Really?" Yugi was sceptical but he already knew three Egyptians who'd, literally, been living under a rock for most of their lives. "Did you have a fire breathing dragon?"

"Almost," Atemu replied tightly, though Yugi suspected he had no intention in being tight lipped. Rather Atemu was more amused in keeping the mystery that allowed him to pull the pale boy along for longer. His hand ran along the small of Yugi's back and it's twin ran up from his hip to his waist. Yugi kept close attention on those arms till they were wrapped around his hips entirely.

"You have to tell me more about you," Yugi demanded gently, "I've told you plenty about me and if you're going to grab me like a girlfriend-"

Atemu broke back into cackles.

"Darn, well," he sighed conceding. "I am fairly boring. A terrible nerd, avid gamer, fairly well off parents, private school… I'm not Islamic, obviously," he gripped Yugi tighter in emphasis, "_but_I am a bit of a traditionalist."

"I shall fetch the pitch forks then."

"Should've know you Japs couldn't handle exotic gentlemen," Atemu sighed pointedly.

"What about your tower?"

"Ah, well that's the fun story of how I became a wild gambler," he revealed. "When I was seventeen I… well I spent two years in the hospital in a coma."

"How?" Yugi leapt at that detail in amazement, he was a clever boy, he'd clung to every little revelation of info including their tiny age difference and what it meant in this context.

"I don't know," Atemu shrugged, "just dropped like a rock one day and didn't wake up for two years. When I did I had a little catching up to do and I got really into Duel Monsters. Won a contest or three and thought I'd travel."

"You're not pulling my leg?" Yugi demanded as gently as he could.

"It is a great story to get laid isn't it?" He grinned dismissively but relented when noticed, almost immediately, the apprehension in Yugi's tightened eyes. "No, I'm not pulling your leg, but I don't know what happened really. The doctors never really had much of an explanation. One day I just nodded off, no mental activity at all, and then I just popped back up all of a sudden."

"That doesn't bother you?" Yugi insisted. "Not knowing?"

"So long as it doesn't happen again," Atemu shrugged, "I feel great now. Better than ever actually. I suppose it forced me into the mentality of living every day like you might die if nothing else."

"Do you have any theories?" He asked and Atemu had begun to slow down their motions to focus totally on Yugi's face and voice as though he could hear the pale boy's racing heart. "The doctor's didn't find any abnormalities or anything that might explain it?"

"None amazingly," he revealed almost conspiratorially, "but I would wager I went on some great astral adventure. I might have saved an alternate dimension for all I know."

He was chuckling, joking, but Yugi could feel all the heat and colour drain from him. Atemu frowned as Yugi ran thoughtfully through it all inside his head. His heart was pounding, he was nearly shaking in every inch of his body and there was little he could do to keep it from his face. Was this fate then? Had the Pharaoh been reincarnated while he was waiting for the puzzle to be solved and Zork to be defeated? Had it only been his memory self, the memories of the Pharaoh, in the puzzle? Had his soul been split? Had his soul entered Atemu after they defeated Zork?

No… No… Yugi felt his head shaking all by itself. He was supposed to be the Pharaoh's reincarnation which was why he could solve the puzzle. The Pharaoh couldn't have two reincarnations, surely? Besides, the part of Yugi that had been the Pharaoh had been rewarded by passing to the afterlife, with all his family and companions, once everything was settled and the gods surely wouldn't drag Atemu back to earth after all that. Not the gods Yugi believed in anyway. Even though Yugi missed the Pharaoh he deserved a rest…

So then this man had to be a fake. There was no way. Which meant Yugi was being manipulated by someone, or the gods forbid _something_, that knew about the Pharaoh. If this man knew about the Pharaoh and would use that to get close to Yugi then they had to be dangerous… Or was he being too suspicious? He felt safe with Atemu, and Yami had always taught him to follow his instincts, but he couldn't help feeling insecure. Was Atemu just a young man with an amazing coincidence that tangled Yugi's life? Did he just happen to be the spiting image of Yami? No, only Kaiba believed so strongly in coincidence, so unwaveringly, so blindly. Yugi had never trusted his world to coincidence because in all his years of adventure he'd _never_ encountered it. It had always been fate.

"Are you alright?" Atemu asked gently finding the sudden turn of silence ominous and Yugi realized they had almost ceased moving entirely. His finger tips had settled against the small of Yugi's back, his thumbs arching about to touch graze his hips, Yugi's resting on his shoulders.

"I…" Yugi couldn't breath, his chest was seizing up, he needed to stand and fight but his legs were quaking. "I need to go."

It was all he said before he disentangled himself from the handsome body and darted away like a kuribo down a rabbit hole. Yugi dodged the crowd, small, slender, fast and well practiced, quickly establishing a gulf of space between himself and the handsome mystery man before even a moment had passed. Atemu had barely registered what had happened before Yugi was gone and it was only when Yugi was almost out the door he heard the man calling after him.

He was up the stairs descending into the club and down the crowded, brilliantly lit, Tokyo street like a flash out of hell. He wasn't thinking, he was running his hands through his hair, clutching his skull, as he wandered aimlessly forward. He had to get distance, get the momentum out of him, to escape. He found himself struggling to breathe or to blink through burning eyes.

* * *

><p>When he finally stopped he was near a monorail station and a bustling twenty-four hour Manga Café covered in a cold sweat. He inhaled, his throat aching, and foraging in his pockets sought out his cell phone. The little charms Anzu had bought him rattled against his fingers as he text Jonouchi.<p>

_Sorry, felt sick and had to run. Getting fresh air for a while. Meet up with you later? _

It was a good half hour of wandering the city before Jonouchi replied.

_Sure Buddy, feel better! Meet up with you tomorrow morning. _

Tokyo was magnificent at night but Yugi was barely focusing on it. He was full of doubts. Was he meant to stay and enjoy himself with Atemu? What would the Pharaoh tell him to do? His heart throbbed, his body along with it, his everything hurt with indecision. He hadn't wanted someone to take over and tell him what to do like this since he was little. Gods it hurt so much to walk away from Atemu… How would he find him again? Had he done the right thing? What if it wasn't a trap and he never saw him again or what if it was and he had to fight a carbon copy of the Pharaoh?

He stopped himself, hands out, and tried to slow his heart rate. He'd done the right thing. If he needed to see Atemu again he would. Had fate ever forgotten about Yugi Mutou? Had coincidence ever had any hold over his life? Never! This was just a new tribulation. It would all work out. Yugi had to trust that and just follow his instinct. He gambled for a living, he was a world class gamer, he knew strategic risk.

All this didn't stop him wondering however.

"Pharaoh?" He whispered eyes half inclined to the sky. "I'm trying to do what you'd want, the right thing, but I just don't know. Please look over me where ever you are _Mo Hitori No Boku_."

* * *

><p>The train ride back to Domino was filled with reluctance and trepidation. Yugi feared that while he was stuck in one spot he'd once again come face to face with Atemu but by the same note he hoped he would. It was all for one big fat anticlimax however as he returned to Domino without a hitch. Saturday night held nothing significant and even his hours at the game shop Sunday were listless.<p>

The only significant detail Yugi could note in the proceeding days was a particularly vivid dream he had early Sunday morning. He didn't really remember details so much as he remembered the feelings and the sensations. He was warm, safe, snuggled up in his bed as if he never had to get up with that oh-so-foreign sensation of being held while he slept, one body curled around his own. He longed for that feeling.

Yugi might have been afraid of very little but that didn't mean he didn't want someone to take care of him on occasion. Yami, for one thing, had been the longest most intimate relationship he'd ever had and even if they had been partners Yami had taken the lead, looked out for Yugi, and perhaps he still wanted that. He and Yami had never been…'_like that'_ but he had still been closer to Yami than any proceeding girlfriend or partner.

* * *

><p>Sunday dragged. By noon he was mashing buttons on his DS, with his little drawer of goodies beneath the register opened behind the counter for easy dipping. He leant in on his elbows, digging them into the glass of the counter until they bruised lightly. Not for the first time he wished he had more studying to do.<p>

Grandpa eventually began moving upstairs. Sunday was his only day off, though Yugi wished he'd take more, and he was obviously keen to spend it in front of the TV with a cup of tea and a couple of documentaries which he'd inevitably begin hollering at. He had an eye for inaccuracies. Yugi chuckled at the thought, still inducing carpal tunnel.

He raised his head just a second before the bell chimed, jingling over the door frame, and it was like the world shattered upon the impact of tin against wood.

Atemu stood not all that far away looking uncomfortable but keen to speak and Yugi let his level run without him to stare.

_Oh shit_.

"How'd you…?" He was at a loss for anything more eloquent.

"Google," Atemu shrugged. "Aren't that many _Kame Game Shops_ in Domino."

He'd all but run out of ideas of what exactly to do next. This was fate then, that was clear enough, and hey if the universe wanted Yugi Mutou to talk to this guy then he'd just have to. Atemu however had apparently come with his own ideas for conversational topics.

"Why did you run away like that?"

"It's complicated…" Yugi answered lamely. "I'm sorry I was rude…"

Atemu was across the store in long, elegant, strides weaving his way around behind the counter to plant one hand on the glass and lean in towards Yugi.

"What did I say?" Atemu wasn't angry, Yugi could see that clear as day in his eyes, but he was insistent. He had that cool, plain, authority in his voice that the Pharaoh used to emanate while they were at tournaments. Now that Yugi thought of it he had the same lazy smile and chuckle too.

"Does it matter to you so much?" He was honestly a little astounded and once again he was finding it difficult to be suspicious when Atemu was so clearly sincere in his confusion. "You barely know me."

"Yes," was all he said at first, blunt and sharp. "I…well there's no way I can say this without sounding like some obsessive stalker but I suppose that went out the window when I tracked you down from Tokyo…"

"Sorta." Yugi conceded. It wasn't that creepy. He'd heard weirder.

"I just wanted to see you, I hate that you ran away so suddenly," Atemu grumbled, "for no reason I can see. I feel as though I know you and I'll regret it if I just let you disappear."

"That kind of why I left." Yugi sighed, resting his console miserably on the glass so he could run his hands up his arms hugging himself. "You remind me of a friend I lost a while ago. I got freaked out. I'm superstitious you could say, I believe in a lot of crazy stuff, and it scared me."

"I have nothing against the weird and wonderful," Atemu assured him, "I have enough faith in the unexplainable. Did your friend pass?"

"Yeah," he nodded squeezing his arms against his sides, "in the best possible way. It wasn't sudden or dreadful but he was so incredible everyone was sad to let him go."

"When did it happen?" Atemu pried gently, that warm downy arm returning around Yugi's shoulders as though it had never left. All his frustrated anger had left.

"When I was eighteen," Yugi sighed, it was so easy to tell Atemu whatever he wanted to know. He just couldn't keep his mouth shut around Yami when he was with him, he had told the Pharaoh everything and he had no way to hide anything their minds being connected as they had been. Atemu enticed the same trust immediately.

"So then he died the same year I woke up," was the inevitable conclusion, "so you panicked."

It wasn't a question. Atemu understood, which in itself was amazing, and Yugi considered that if he truly felt this comfortable around the foreigner then there was good reason. His whole heart trusted Atemu effortlessly so then perhaps all his paranoia was for naught. Darn.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, "I just didn't know what to do."

"It's reasonable enough." Atemu's Japanese wasn't perfect, especially now, but he was still oddly eloquent which may have simply been down to his body and posture. The accent was comforting, reassuring, familiar…there were so many trickling details of the Pharaoh.

"I'm glad you tracked me down," Yugi laughed weakly.

"Good," Atemu grinned softly his hand squeezing Yugi's opposing shoulder, "because I'm certainly not apologising for doing so. Are you alright?"

"I think so," he shrugged, "you?"

"Curious but much less affronted." The young man chuckled. "I'm still glad to see you, pleased I tracked you down, and I just want to hug that look off your face."

Yugi laughed, He remembered conversations like this frequently, the '_something phenomenally weird just happened, any ideas? No? It's okay we'll figure it out together!'_ conversation. Hell he and the Pharaoh used to get paranoid when things were peaceful for too long. He'd felt that niggling feeling of waiting for a new foe even since the Pharaoh had left. He supposed combat and threat had been drilled into him heavily.

Still, when he glanced at Atemu there was that uncertainty. Was this right? What was this? How did he explain what was going on? His suspicions might be down but they weren't out for sure. Even if Atemu didn't appear to be threat he was so much like the Pharaoh that, sure enough, Yugi could spot that inkling in his eyes that he was holding something back. If it had been Yami he would've pried, would've said; "_oh come on Pharaoh you know you can't hide anything from me! Now what's up?_" but now wasn't the time, especially if Yugi himself wasn't being totally honest.

"Can I take you to get some lunch?" Atemu offered. "I get the feeling we still have a lot to talk about."

"Yeah," he agreed, "let me just tell my Grandpa I'm stepping out."

* * *

><p>In short time Yugi had his jacket and they were perusing Domino. An idea only occurred to him halfway through their walk. Yugi decided to lay off leading the way, ever so subtly, and fall back instead to follow Atemu. He was curious as to the effects of his little scheme. He'd already lead them halfway to Burger World. That cheap and nasty little place he and Jonouchi had often eaten at, where Anzu had gotten her first job, where the Pharaoh had set a man on fire… He wondered if Atemu did remember anything that the Pharaoh had lived, somehow, or if he was just his unsuspecting double.<p>

Atemu didn't even realize Yugi was now following him, he walked with the same purpose, but sure enough he led them the last leg of the way straight through the back street to Burger World. He halted on the pavement, across the empty road, and seemed to taken a back for just a second.

"Is here any good?" he asked cautiously, his eyes burning a whole into the cartoonish billboard overhead. He was thinking far too hard about it for Atemu to feel nothing about the place.

"It's alright," Yugi shrugged, "generic but it'll be quiet today, mostly the high schoolers eat here, or there's ice cream in the park?"

"Not a substantial meal," Atemu considered, "but the park will have fresh air."

"I do have my theories the air in there is recycled and deep fried." Yugi grinned.

"Park then," the elder laughed, "I wish there were more exotic restaurants in this part of Japan then I could take you somewhere with decent food."

"And show off," Yugi added with a little slathering of sarcasm.

"Never," Atemu defended and as Yugi took a step down the street he followed.

Before too long, with the same care, Atemu was leading the way yet again to the park by the Museum and sure enough he led them to the ice cream vendor as though he'd been there a thousand times before. Again he halted about twelve feet away, his hands in his pockets, and frowned. There was a long, curious, moment of silence before he glanced suspiciously to Yugi.

"I did it again didn't I?" He muttered not even bothering to elaborate on what he was eluding to. "I feel as though someone's playing a very nasty trick on me."

"It's not my fault," Yugi surrendered, "are you sure you've never been here before?"

"Not so much anymore." The man sighed heartily. "You know more than you're telling me though I'm certain."

"Really?" he pried cautiously.

"I can just tell," Atemu apparently found it difficult to restrain something of a grin at that, "you have this cheeky look in your eyes like you're playing a game with me."

"Maybe," he admitted, "not intentionally but I'm curious by nature."

"This is part of your faith in the weird and wonderful isn't it?"

"Maybe," he repeated quietly and Atemu was grinning quite widely despite himself now and it wasn't too long before Yugi couldn't help following suit.

"You owe me Ice cream then," the foreigner demanded, "I'm dreadful with your currency."

"Alright then," Yugi laughed. "What flavour?"

"Guess," Atemu half teased.

Yugi snorted but couldn't refuse an outright challenge, he even found himself smiling, he wasn't unaccustomed to being happy but the nostalgia of almost being with an old friend was more than most things these days could muster from him. Atemu was obviously a little lost in the feeling himself by the way he glared down the birds from the park bench, his long tan arms thrown over the iron backing in a way half haphazard half elegant. When Yugi returned, with that smile on his face, Atemu's brows rose ever so slightly as the smaller boy handed him his cone.

"What flavour?" He asked.

"Not telling," Yugi answered dragging his tongue over his own to effectively end the dialogue, even as he carefully observed his opponent.

Atemu sighed but smirked allowing his own tongue to dart out, sceptically, causing not a waver in Yugi's confidence. There was a dramatic deliberation that ran over Atemu's eyes before he collapsed the façade to chuckle.

"This is bizarre."

"I've seen weirder." Yugi promised.

"I'm inclined to believe you. So I look like a friend you used to have yes?" He prodded as he examined the thought. "It's funny you should say that you know."

"Why?" Yugi knew there was more here and he had a feeling he might be about to hear what Atemu had kept concealed at the game shop.

"I've had dreams about you before," he revealed cautiously, "about this country and others. I had a lot of dreams while I was out actually, and I half remember a great deal of them. I remember you plainly. In all honesty that's probably one of the reasons I wanted to come to Japan. I saw your photo a few months after I was released from hospital."

"So that's the real reason you followed me from Tokyo?"

"No," Atemu promised, "half of it maybe but I meant what I said before. I feel as though if I don't talk to you I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

"So..." Yugi wasn't sure what little he should give away in turn so he held it all, "am I like this in your dreams?"

"Sort of," there was something dazed about the answer, maybe even a little tinge to the dark cheeks. "I've seen two of you. In some dreams I had you were here, in this city, with me and in others we were in Egypt at Karnak together. I remember calling you…"

"Hmm?"

"Heba, oddly," Atemu sighed and Yugi frowned.

He could expect _Mou Hitori No Ore_, or _Hikari_, or _Aibou_ but… _Heba?_He didn't recognise the word at all. It didn't even sound Japanese.

"Heba?" He repeated dumbly. Why Heba of all things?

"It's Egyptian," Atemu puzzled aloud, "it's an old word for 'Game'."

"Well 'Yugi' means 'Game' in Japanese," he pondered, "which is a little embarrassing just as a side note."

"Maybe that's why then…" Atemu seemed to conclude. "Maybe it was some kind of mental translating."

"I don't know," the smaller shrugged over his forgotten treat, "I haven't dealt with this kind of weird specifically unfortunately for us."

"That's a shame. Do you know anyone who might've?"

"Tonnes," Yugi promised with a sigh, "I just don't know who to ask first."

"What about this friend of yours?" Atemu continued. "What was his name?"

"Um…" Yugi struggled to think of an appropriate answer, "his name was Atemu too actually but he went by Yami. That was how I knew him. I called him _Mou Hitori No Boku, Aibou,_ Pharaoh…"

"Pharaoh and Atemu huh?" From the look in his eyes Atemu found this latest development serious. "What do _Mou Hitori no Boku_ and _Aibou_ mean?"

"The Other Me and Partner," he answered switching between Japanese and what he had picked up of Arabic, a little red faced at the admission which did not for a second go unnoticed.

"Sounds like you two were close," Atemu implied one fine eyebrow arched in perfect synchronisation with the matching quirk of his lips. "Boyfriend?"

"No! Nothing like that!" Yugi's face heated exponentially however.

"Almost like that?" The tanned man continued to insist. "Surely you wouldn't blush so furiously for nothing."

"Well…" Yugi faltered, "we were never…we never really had a chance to be… I guess… I don't know what I'm trying to say…"

"You never talked about it?"

"We never _thought_about it," he shrugged, "we had so much going on that it never came up. Not that either of us ever tried to define our relationship as anything in particular. We knew it was special, I know I won't ever be as close to anyone ever again, but we never seemed to need to label or discuss it. He was the kind of person I felt secure with, confident with, I just knew we'd always…"

"Sounds like he left too soon." Atemu supposed.

"No," Yugi insisted, "it was his time and I'm glad for him now that he's somewhere better. I know he's watching over me. I know he cared about me more than anything."

"You don't miss him at all, and you really don't wish he'd had more time? How old was he anyway? If he was your age it couldn't possibly be fair for him to be taken from life so soon."

"It was the right time," Yugi defended stubbornly, "the stars were aligned. I always knew he'd have to go one day and he made sure we were all ready for it. If I wasn't ready he wouldn't have let go. Of course I miss him, of course I wish he was still here but I can't spend my whole life moping. Not when he brought everyone joy and he left a lot of it in the world."

"Sounds like a saint," Atemu chuckled, "I should hope someone as eloquent as you is around to defend me when I pass on. Tell me he had faults at least or I'll give up all hope in being like him."

"Oh you are like him," Yugi sighed, "and he was definitely far from perfect. When I first met him…" Yugi laughed at the thought (As much as he could at the memory of the violence of that time). "Lets just say he had a '_bat shit crazy_' phase."

"Oh good, then he was human," Atemu joked consolingly, "I have a chance."

"At what?"

"Comparing with him."

"And how do I compare to Heba?" Yugi diverted carefully, trying to force his blush back into non-existence.

"You're just as lovely," he was assured, "in the dreams I had of you in Egypt you were a little bit aloof, untouchable, at least at first."

"Was I Pharaoh?" He half teased to inquire as gently as possible.

"Oh no," Atemu grinned, "I was."

"Then what was I?"

"I couldn't say."

"Yes you could." Yugi pressed.

"Let's just say even coma patients have testosterone," Atemu winked at Yugi's vermillion cheekbones, "they were some of my favourite dreams."

"That's filthy!" He squealed.

"You asked," the foreigner shrugged, "I warned you."

"Have…" Yugi couldn't believe he was even asking this, he should be sticking to the important stuff, "have you ever had a boyfriend?"

"Not in Egypt," Atemu answered casually, "it'd be a death wish. That's part of why I love travelling but even then I haven't had a long term partner. I've never found the right person, I'm an all or nothing guy, even if I do love a challenge. You?"

"Girlfriends, after he died," Yugi shrugged, "but they've never really gotten anywhere."

"I bet I can guess a secret," the tanned young man declared as he passed off his almost melted treat to the stuffed bin just beyond the bench languidly, "and regain some points after you guessed my ice cream preferences."

"Really?" He inquired handing Atemu his own half eaten ice cream to discard. It seemed the whole idea of getting lunch was a big of a farce between the two of them to have an excuse to talk. "What's that?"

"You're a virgin."

"That's no secret," Yugi snorted gesturing from his head to his toes, "do I look like I'm getting all the ladies to you? I'm a twenty-two year old geek who lives with his grandfather."

"From what I've heard from you," the other resumed, "you're a well travelled, intelligent, talented little mystic with enough self confidence to compliment it. That, of course, isn't mentioning the physical attributes that would make me sound like a devious pervert because I'm far too classy for that."

"Right!" Yugi laughed. "_Obviously_."

"Of course," Atemu grinned, "that's another detail however that you do force me to mention: you're very good at diverting the conversation away from yourself. You took the one thing I said about myself and focused on that instead of everything I said about you."

"I…" He blanked at that. "I guess."

"Is that because you don't want to talk about yourself or because I'm charming?" Was the next question fronted.

"So the options are: I'm secretive or you're dashingly handsome?"

"Well I'd prefer it if you responded in one of those two formats yes."

"Then you're dashingly handsome," Yugi scoffed good-humouredly.

"From which we can conclude you're secretive."

"You shouldn't psycho-analyse me if you still don't have any points."

"Every thing's a contest with you isn't it?" Atemu sighed dramatically though he appeared to be fighting quite hard to keep a straight face.

Yugi couldn't hold it and broke up into laughter which Atemu inevitably had to follow. Eventually the giggling died out but Yugi felt surprisingly peaceful, at home, and in good company. He liked the joy of comfortable silence between friends and Atemu appeared to feel the same. Yugi wondered, briefly, what was on display at the museum but truth be told he was a little afraid to find out. He wasn't sure he could take fate moving terribly fast on this. He didn't want to get to whatever end of the world evil was coming just yet.

"Come on," Atemu urged, stretching to his feet after however long Yugi had failed to register in time, offering his hand to the smaller to assist him up. "Let's go back."

"Atemu," Yugi asked from the bench, taking the offered hand but not rising immediately instead subconsciously savouring the feeling of skin on skin for as short a moment as it lasted, "how long are you in Japan for?"

"However long I like." He answered squeezing Yugi's hand and tugging him up against him. "I don't have a job, I don't have any plane tickets. I gambled my way here and I can gamble my way back. There's nothing eagerly waiting for me back in Egypt, on the contrary, all the excitements here."

It took Yugi half a second to regain his bearings as he stumbled into Atemu's chest, his hands flat against the pectorals for balance, but he heard the words well enough for his head to keep spinning even after his feet had become grounded. They stayed like that for little longer than was probably necessary but eventually air drifted between them and Atemu instead grasped his hand.

"Don't look so serious," Atemu chided pleasantly, "it doesn't suit someone so friendly to be a pessimist."

"I'm not," he sighed letting Atemu lead as he ponderously turned his focus to the sidewalk, "not normally. This is just usually the point where something goes terribly wrong. First the weird unexplained new mystery, then usually an evil cult or organisation, then disaster or potential disaster, next all my old friends come out of the woodwork, then road-trip history-lesson combo, then eventual victory and reprieve."

"Does this happen to you often?"

"Frightfully so," Yugi groaned, "I always look back on it fondly. I love my life but right now I don't want things ruined."

"If I spot any strange men in dark hoods we'll take a vacation to Vegas for a few weeks till it blows over," Atemu promised. "Have you ever tried that before?"

"No but I'm now tempted." He raised his chin slightly a little peace welling back into his heart and soothing his worries. It was only now however he noticed what region of the city they'd wandered to as they passed the imposing figure of the Kaiba Corp skyscraper. "Atemu this isn't my house."

"No," he replied cheekily, "my hotel's in this district."

"You used my moment of distraction to lure me back to your lair?" Yugi groaned. "You're dreadful."

"I always try my very best to be," Atemu teased plainly.

* * *

><p>The hotel was grand. It had to be to fit into the same district as Kaiba Corp and the associated companies. Yugi didn't even pause to wonder how Atemu could afford such lavish accommodation. It made total sense to him that he should be skilled enough to win some high class games. Yami had never been above dealing with all manner of underground types: gangsters, convicts, bullies, pyromaniacs and con-men. He'd gotten a thrill out of setting them in their place with his high handed manner.<p>

The whole lobby, the elevator and the balconied rooms were a maze of twinkling lights and European décor. Yugi couldn't resist the urge to press his hands to the glass and glimpse the floors as they rose up the elevator. He loved glass elevators. He'd stayed at hotels like this only once or twice in his travels. They had a sort of grand blandness that made them universal to all countries. They transcended languages or cultures in that famous chain hotel staple. It was fascinating to someone who'd seen several countries and several more periods of history.

Atemu's suite was so neat in a lazy way Yugi chuckled when he was only half way through the door. It was so like the Pharaoh to want everything in its place but be so surrounded by the chaos of adventure not to bother cleaning completely. Things were in open drawers, in stacked files in specific zones, but none of it was really 'put away' in the conventional sense.

"I didn't know hotels had comedic value." Atemu called as he secured the chain of the door.

"Just you," Yugi elaborated.

"Laughing at me or with me?" He asked skceptically.

"Both," he swore displaying his pinkie for the purpose of reliability.

* * *

><p>Atemu was courteous enough to pay for room service in the way of dinner but he didn't bother getting a great deal. It was an unspoken conclusion that neither of them would eat the majority of it but even so there was something cathartic about sharing one plate of food for Yugi. After all he used to eat for two for lack of any more eloquent phrasing.<p>

The conversation didn't progress particularly far. Atemu seemed content not to push for details in the evening and Yugi wanted to revel a little longer in the dullness of it all. He showered and slipped back into his boxers and a generously offered top from Atemu while still covered in a thin sheen of moisture. It was maybe a size too big, nothing outrageous, but it hung just a tiny bit. It made him feel like a girlfriend after a night over.

"Should you call your grandfather?" Atemu inquired, preparing for his own rinse, as Yugi sunk happily into the plush couch flicking through the cable.

"He won't worry," Yugi assured him, "I once went to the market to get some olives and didn't come back for a few months. He's used to this."

"Was this before or after your friend passed?" The foreigner asked plainly bemused.

"Before and after," he shrugged fractionally at the ridiculousness of it, "I used to miss a _lot_ of school."

"You skipped school?" Atemu's eyes twinkled at the very prospect. "What a terrible influence he was!"

"Never," Yugi scoffed, "we only did it in emergencies. We just had a lot of emergencies. My attendance to University is still pretty C grade, come to think of it, but I get plenty of life experience."

"What kind of emergencies do you have _exactly?_"

"Um…" again Yugi was at an impasse between how much he should lie and how much honesty was merited. Just like the weighing of the heart the lighter won out. "This and that."

"You are a curious creature Yugi Mutou."

Luckily for Yugi the unspoken details rested there and a good thing too because he wasn't entirely certain how much or how well he could lie to Atemu. Yugi's lies had always been more deferrals, diversions, or an overlooking of certain parts of conversation and not flat out fantastical falsities. He tried not to ponder what he would tell Atemu too deeply. He'd have to face that as it came up for the moment he was more interested in what to do over all.

Heba…

Yugi turned the word over. The real issue here was how the Pharaoh could be outside the afterlife if Yugi was his reincarnation. His fingers stilled on the remote, the screen flashing the vibrant colours of some wishy-washy anime, as he leant back into the plush of the sofa to consider his options. Should he tell Jou? No he had no flair for subtly. Ryou and Anzu were out of the country currently, one of the perils of Yugi's active globe trotting social circle, and Honda or Otogi weren't exactly clued up on all the details. Kaiba had gone back to confidently believing that it was all coincidence or illusion or whatever other nonsense he fabricated to pretend he didn't believe any of it.

That only left a few options, good options, but slender options. He'd deal with those prospects in the morning.

"Anything in Arabic?" Atemu ask lazily patting down his thick, rather luscious, hair as he returned from his shower.

Yugi was taken aback slightly by Atemu's partially naked physique. He'd never seen the Pharaoh in such a state of undress though, come to think of it embarrassingly, the Pharaoh had seen him naked one more than one occasion. He'd seen the Pharaoh shirtless of course but that had always been dressed up in royal garb not intimate or private in anyway. Atemu had a tanned, lean, body and the moisture clinging to him only seemed to accentuate the details and the colouring of the skin. His hips seemed to merge with his pants. Atemu was a little overwhelming.

"Hmm?" Was Yugi's eloquent response through the mingled observation.

"I'm sorry, should I leave you and my abdominals alone for a moment?" Atemu grinned spreading his arms. "Shall I stand here quietly and look pretty?"

"I have a good aim!" Yugi cried uselessly in retaliation waving the remote about threateningly in his hand. "You shouldn't pick on me."

"I'm not," he was so terribly smug as he approached, "I'm at your command."

"We should sleep." Yugi muttered weakly, viciously crimson for the tenth time this evening.

"Off to bed then?" Atemu smirked offering his hand to the vermillion boy.

Yugi knew he should've thought more of climbing into bed with an almost stranger. He'd known Atemu for two days but it didn't bother him. Atemu didn't want anything filthy despite his teasing he was sure. They pulled the covers back together from opposing sides of the bed and Atemu watched with that smug little smile as Yugi easily threw himself face down on the mattress, clutching at the pillows to smother himself amongst them. He exhaled deeply into the bedding as, without a word of complaint, Atemu pulled the quilting back up around him before squeezing in alongside.

"Shuffle over," he ordered.

"_There were three in the bed and the little one said…" _Yugi whispered in a sing-song voice rolling languidly onto his back. It was immediately lavish being in a King sized bed, ignoring all puns and ironies, taking into account his single at the Game Shop.

When the lights went out Yugi twisted onto his side. He wasn't thinking about whether the locks were locked or if he needed to check them, if his alarm was set, or if his deck was somewhere nearby but safe. All that faded under a recently remembered security that the Pharaoh had once induced. Even before Yugi knew the Pharaoh was there, back when he was sixteen and had just solved the puzzle, he found he always slept deeper with it beside his bed or around his neck.

Atemu shuffled onto his side, arms wandering across the mattress to grasp at the smaller, accommodating, body. Yugi let Atemu's arm slide under his neck, his chest press up against his back, his arm rest across his hips, his nose slip behind Yugi's ear… It was…Yugi found himself drifting, content, girlfriends tended to expect him to do the cuddling and snuggling but Atemu wanted that duty all to himself.

"You're…" Yugi eyes fluttered at the whisper while Atemu struggled for words, "perfect."

"You're warm…" Yugi murmured dazedly as he drifted nuzzling into the warmth.

Atemu chuckled, too pleased to be offended, Yugi had a inkling the words 'adorable' or 'cute' were circulating through that devious head but he couldn't be assed to care. Not even when he felt that fleeting prickling of lips against his neck.

"Hmm…" he grumbled.

"Don't think I've forgotten about everything you've neglected to tell me," Atemu whispered, "I'm going to want details eventually but for now I'm just so happy you weren't a dream. Mysterious Yugi Mutou."

* * *

><p>It must've been close to three in the morning when Atemu disentangled himself from Yugi and pushing himself up began to move from the bed. Groaning Yugi tossed thoughtlessly.<p>

"Hmm…?" He murmured still asleep, his hands folding under his cheeks as his eyes strained to open up at the other young man.

"It's alright _Aibou_," Atemu whispered long fingers hand carding through Yugi's hair to scrape soothingly against his skull, "go back to sleep."

"_Yami_," he sighed, Yugi wasn't thinking, he wasn't even really awake. "Missed you…"

"I missed you too Little One," he promised sincerely, "sleep tight, I'll be back soon."

"M'kay…" Yugi turned, "no killing…"

He laughed.

* * *

><p>In the morning Atemu was in bed, half atop Yugi and half across him, so tightly tangled the smaller boy could barely move amongst all the long tan limbs suctioning to him. Yugi didn't recall anything peculiar not even a dream. He'd slept like a rock. It took a little careful weaving but eventually Yugi manoeuvred himself free slipping from the bed and rifled across the floor for his discarded jeans. He didn't particularly like the idea of pulling his dirty t-shirt back over his head so he left Atemu's on as he tugged up his pants.<p>

Finding his phone and his shoes in the next room was significantly easier as he could toss open the thick hotel curtains, to the rather magnificent early morning view, and scour the lounge room floor without being afraid of waking the equally magnificent specimen in the bed. Fuck, it'd been far, far, too long since Yugi'd had any excuse to event think that. Shoving his particulars in his pockets he carded through the little desk for the spare room key, testing that it worked with the electronic lock after unhooking the chain lock.

'_Gone downstairs, back in a bit, don't freak._' Was all Yugi spared to sprawl over some cheap hotel stationary on the low coffee table in the lounge, squatting on his knees. He reread it once and added '_3_' but decided that was all Atemu was getting this morning.

The lobby was comfortably temperate, one of the great wonders of air conditioning, when Yugi made himself comfortable in one of the fine white leather sofas punctuating the long, high ceilinged entrance foyer. The receptionist shot him a little look but Yugi was quick to flash his room key and she was quick to nod curtly and ignore him for the breakfast crowd.

He sat there, punching through his contacts before pressing the speaker to his ear, waiting elbows on knees, as the dial tone chimed.

"Who the fuck is this?"

"_Konnichiwa Marik_," Yugi grinned in a mockingly friendly sing-song tone, making an effort to sound as stereotypically Japanese as possible.

"Fuck Yugi," was the next moan which earned his poor victim a giggle, "why me?"

"I wake you up?"

"No," Marik answered saucily, "I was just receiving wild fellatio from a pair of ADHD Russian twins who've now been thoroughly distracted by your ring tone."

"_Gomennasia Marik-chan_," Yugi teased.

"Oh don't give me that shit Mutou. The fuck do you want?" Yugi could envision very clearly Marik rubbing exhaustedly at his eyes with the heel of his palm as he grumbled.

"Business sadly," he revealed leaning back into the leather so he could slouch more comfortably, the initial tension of the purpose of his call rising and receding in waves. "Do you and your sister still have access to all the artefacts from the Pharaoh's period in your collection?"

"That and a shit load more you better not mention to the National Society of Antiquities."

"Do you know if the word _Heba_ is used oddly in any of them? In a cartouche?" Yugi prodded.

"You called fucking Egypt to ask me that?"

"I got a great international cell plan _years_ ago," he scoffed, "so?"

"Well given it's a period rife with 'Shadow _Games_'," Marik sighed, "_Heba _probably turns up a crap load. I couldn't tell you off the top of my head Yugi."

"Can you look into it for me?"

"Yeah," Marik answered with easy generosity, "is it important?"

"Might be critical," Yugi murmured.

"What'd you get yourself in this time?"

"Not entirely sure yet," he replied honestly, "can you see if your sister has Shadi's number too? I might need to get in contact with him."

"She will, probably," Marik grunted, "but Shadi exists in his own fucking world. I don't think that jackass even has indoor plumping wherever the fuck he is."

"Neither did you for a while," Yugi shrugged. "Thanks though Marik. You're amazing."

"Better believe it." He scoffed. "Should I warn anyone?"

"Not yet," the Japanese boy declared finally after a moment's deliberation, "just you and your sister keep your eyes out for anything okay? Shall I let you get back to your Russians?"

"If you don't mind," Marik replied with a liberal amount of drama.

"Thanks Marik, sleep tight, bye!"

"Bye Yugi!"

* * *

><p>Atemu was still in bed when Yugi returned to the suite, sprawled like a King, half awake and entirely contented. His focus was settled on Yugi before he'd even made his way through the door and there was something worth smiling about in that.<p>

"No breakfast in bed?" He sighed.

"Oh no, it's laid out in the lounge for you," Yugi declared gesturing in a bow towards the door, "shall I put it on a tray and bring it in for you Majesty?"

"Yes," Atemu replied deadly straight-faced, flipping his wrist dismissively. "Off you go peon."

"You're spoilt rotten," he cackled merrily as he kicked off his shoes and clamoured back onto the mattress beside the lounging foreigner. Yugi lay on his stomach, feeling the tickle of the sheets against his stomach as Atemu's shirt hitched up his torso, kicking off his socks with his toes as he rested his chin in his palm.

"Almost," Atemu clarified, "I had hoped to wake this morning next to a gorgeous Japanese celebrity but something got lost in translation apparently."

"Well the embassy couldn't find any gorgeous Japanese celebrities available at the moment so they sent me in instead. It's depressing I know."

The foreigner didn't bother answering directly rather Yugi found himself grabbed and drawn up against him, rearranged easily, like Atemu was accustomed to such things. He forced Yugi onto his back so he could lay his weight upon him. Though that wasn't to say there was anything rough about the jostling. If there had been Atemu, who'd been nothing but a gentleman till now, might've lost an eye for his trouble. It was more that the actions were filled with authority. Yugi even found himself encountering sever difficulty refusing the warm look in Atemu's eyes as he dominated the situation.

Yugi wasn't used to playing the girl, to taking the back seat, not in the past few years anyway. It wasn't insulting at least, matter-of-factly coupled with Atemu's satisfactory smirk it was…hot, gooey, _good_.

He was a likeable man but Yugi found his mind wavering between seeing him as the Pharaoh and seeing him as a stranger. Both options were attractive and awkward in their own fashions.

"Let me?" Atemu asked suddenly after a moment deliberating Yugi.

"Let you what?" Yugi clarified carefully. The nose against his suggested his opponent wanted a kiss but the hand inching down his waist towards that bare skin implied something different.

"Let's start with a kiss," Atemu murmured, "after that I can only hope things will escalate."

"If I let them," he retorted to the other's amusement, "and I'm not sure if I should. What if I have Uni today?"

"Skip it," the man ordered. "You do that a lot from what I gather."

"Oh shut up!" Yugi laughed shoving the chocolaty shoulder inclined above his weakly but it did little to dissuade Atemu's smirk. "Fine…kiss me."

"If you insist," he teased swooping across the tiny divide parting them.

He'd never had the pleasure of kissing another man before, it'd failed to ever cross his mind, but Atemu's lips were warm, moist, and firm. They expected resistance and yielding all at once and as Yugi squeezed his shoulders he found the pressure irresistible. His knees pressed together reflexively as Atemu bore down on him in a little dance of wet contact and quick retreats. Their lips ran over each other inquisitively, Atemu would break away half a millimetre for just a second and then be back, prompting Yugi to let his arms ease and settle round the delightfully bare shoulders.

He had his expectations about partners but Yugi suspected no one in the world kissed quite like Atemu. Somewhere between the realm of ancient romance and internet hentai there was a consuming passion there. He wasn't rough, never rough, firm, insisted, nearly desperate to devour but never ungraceful in it. Yugi felt as though he was robbing the female population of Egypt of a national treasure. He imagined, in a flicker of thought, that Yami would've kissed him like this if they'd ever had the chance: with love and devotion. Lots of it.

His index and fore finger were tracing up and down Atemu's spine encouragingly when his phone began buzzing. One arm around Atemu's shoulders Yugi kept their lips tangled to let his second arm slide down the fine forearm towards his pocket. The foreigner apparently had thoughts of his own on the matter, the hand settled on Yugi's waist slipped down his hip over his pocket to hold the little buzzing electronic fortified from its owner. Yugi's fingers pushed at Atemu's, his teeth nipping at the other's lower lip pointedly, as the hand refused to waver.

Yugi nipped Atemu's lips as they rubbed against his and that seemed to prompt the fingers to move eventually. The tanned digits fished in Yugi's pocket, grasped the phone in a fist and extending his arm to one side Atemu held it out of reach as the buzzing continued loudly. Yugi stretched his arm alongside the other's but his straightened fingers only served to flex against Atemu's unhelpful wrist. Yugi twisted his head in a final moment of resolve, Atemu's lips running over his flushed cheeks instead a charge which they took up with the same eagerness.

"Phone," Yugi demanded quietly his fingers pinching and squeezing at Atemu's wrist, "it could be my Grandpa."

"Five minutes," Atemu conceded, "then I'm unbuckling something and I don't care if it's _my_ mother."

"Tyrant," he chuckled despite himself as Atemu slipped the phone into his waiting palm. The tiny tip of a wet tongue trailed over Yugi's jaw bone, stringing a little sigh out of him as he brought it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Yug?"

"Oh," he whispered a pair of perfectly white teeth nipping at his earlobe, "Jou it's you, what's up?"

"Just checking in," he answered dreadfully oblivious to the kisses assaulting Yugi's arched neck or the strong hands sliding over his hips with a squeeze, "you were weird Friday and I heard from your Grandpa when I dropped by that you've been gone all night. Everything okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Yugi promised. Jonouchi was accustomed to being included in the forefront of Yugi's supernatural disasters and had a sense for them. "Nothing to worry about. I'm just researching."

"Where?" He pondered bluntly. "What kind of research anyway? You're strange naturally Yug but…"

"I can't believe after all these years you still gotta question it Jou," he laughed lightly his voice traipsing a line towards high and breathy, "everything's okay. I don't have anything to write home about yet but you'll know the moment I do."

"So something is going on?" Jonouchi prodded sharply.

"Something for sure," Yugi squirmed, "but I'll tell you later when I know more."

"You better!"

"Promise," he sighed, teeth digging into his bottom lip suddenly as Atemu dragged his tongue up behind the curve of Yugi's ear. "Bye Jou, don't worry!"

"Kay Yug, bye buddy."

"Stop it," Yugi whined as he extinguished the call, bucking his hips against a wayward hand trespassing terribly close to his belt buckle. "That was only two minutes and thirty seconds you cheat."

"Prove it." Atemu demanded and sighing Yugi waved the call record in his general direction squirming under the kisses. Atemu raised his head briefly from Yugi's neck to grumble at the loss and resumed lapping at the shell of his ear. "At this point I'm inclined not to care."

"Sadly you're a man of your word."

"Hmm," he pondered tugging at his stolen shirt to expose a little of Yugi's clavicle for inspection, "unfortunately."

"You'll have to content yourself with stolen patches of skin instead," Yugi grinned breathlessly. The phone call over with he found himself sinking back into the sensations.

Atemu felt fabulous the tingling smell of early morning sweat over him was so masculine Yugi was surprised to find himself enjoying it. Atemu was definitely keen for Yugi to enjoy himself and for his part Yugi couldn't think about the gender, any previous girlfriends, or anything except Atemu who obliterated anything else from Yugi's memory.

"Speaking of contentment actually," he paused, pushing up upon his elbows to regard the smaller man pinned beneath him properly. "I think it's time you told me a story."

"About what?" Yugi felt his stomach sink slowly through his hips.

"Your old friend Yami," Atemu wasn't stuffing around this morning but Yugi's cringe was visible it seemed. "Now don't look like that. We'll share. I'll tell you whatever you want to know but you've got to give me an inch or two here as to what exactly is going on. You're starting to give me strange _Dr Who_ conspiracy vibes to be honest."

"Sorry about that," he sighed.

"It's peculiar but sexy, all this mystery," the young man assured him with a little smirk, "still my head is starting to spin."

"From the top then?" Yugi sighed resting back against the mattress with his arms secure about Atemu's welcoming shoulders.

"Am I right to assume my dreams and your friend are connected?"

"I'd say so," Yugi found himself boring a whole into the ceiling with his thoughts, "but I can't quite figure out how you or your Heba fit into this… everything used to fit together so clearly but this throws everything I thought I knew out of whack…"

"Who was this man?" Atemu asked boldly securing Yugi's jaw between his fingers to tilt the younger's chin and his gaze back towards his. "Honestly?"

"Would you believe me if I told you he was the spirit of an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh trapped within a rare mystical artefact?"

"I'd consider it with mild trepidation…"

"Okay then, well, how about I tell you the grand story of the Nameless Pharaoh?"

* * *

><p>AN: So that would be the first half of this mini-fic. Part two out soon. Please review and let me know your thoughts. For anyone curious I promise there will be lemon. It's compulsory for Christmas presents. Again please forgive my post party 1am editing.

Chapter 2 _Fairytales_ next time.

Have a lovely time everybody!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Back Ladies and Gents! Please enjoy our second sitting and poor editing. If you feel a little short changed after reading this please refer to the bottom author note. I promise I shan't leave you all hanging.

* * *

><p>Chapter 2: Fairytales<p>

It took Yugi most of the day to relate two or three thousand years of history from the reign of the Pharaoh (as he currently knew it), to his grandfather's discovery of the puzzle, his eight years toil over it and the epic adventure that ensued. His captive audience was more than attentive. Barely moving Atemu sought to spend most of the retelling wrapped around Yugi but conceded to weak grip so the smaller could gesticulate appropriately. He raised his brows through Yugi's demonstrations, squeezed him tightly in moments of terror and held the same worryingly pensive but delighted expression throughout. Nothing won Atemu's attention more avidly however than the retellings of their duels and shadow games, which he insisted Yugi recount in detail, particularly those regarding the penalty games Yami had let loose upon Yugi's high school bullies during his first six months.

By the end of their marathon Yugi was lightly hoarse and sprawled across the mattress. He had been careful not to venture into supreme detail on everything included, especially the quiet days he'd shared with Yami, the late night ramblings and the classroom discussions, the most intimate aspects of their relationship. Still he seemed to have painted accurate enough a picture for Atemu to look heavy under the weight of his own thoughts. More than once the Egyptian had piped up questioningly to finish Yugi's descriptions of faces, events or specific attributes as though testing his own memory. On all occasions he spoke what Atemu had seen in his mind, without being told yet by Yugi, was correct. There were obviously events which Atemu, somehow, recalled himself however distantly but Yugi was not yet prepared for delving into how deep that river ran.

Next, of course, came the theorising. What Yugi knew of Atemu, of Yami, of the Pharaoh, of the Memory World and how he fit amongst that frame work was elaborated on. Only now did Atemu truly appreciate the conundrum twisting about Yugi's subconscious along with the suspicion and doubt it automatically instilled. Atemu wasn't pleased with the obstacles keeping the trust between himself and Yugi at a standstill but nor could he come up with an evidenced solution.

"I know," he pondered delicately, "that you're supposed to be the Pharaoh's reincarnation but what if you weren't? What if that was me and when you released the Pharaoh the part of him that was reborn, myself, was tugged into the mix leaving my body empty?"

"But then how could I have solved the puzzle?" Yugi sighed. "Why did I have that connection with the Pharaoh at all? Why didn't you set him free?"

"Perhaps, because of Heba?" Atemu suggested firmly, he was avid on the point that the Heba he remembered from his dreams surrounding the Memory World was as real as the Pharaoh to Yugi.

"But then why didn't we see Heba in the Memory World?"

"Well from what you've told me Bakura was orchestrating the Memory World into a game and that he changed more than one detail to turn the odds in his favour." Yugi was keen to raise a voice in argument but could not. "So then the Memory World was never an accurate retelling of what happened in Egypt all those centuries ago. In part it was but not totally. Just the presence of your friends threw the memories out of balance well before Bakura's manipulations. In all your flashbacks during Battle City the war with Seth lasted a lot longer than it did in the Memory World for one thing. What if because you were there Heba didn't appear? What if you did what Heba was meant to?"

"But…" Yugi supposed it was as reasonable as any logic surrounding his forays into the supernatural yet he couldn't fathom the concept of this previously unchallenged truth changing.

He couldn't contemplate, reasonably, the notion that he _wasn't_ eternally linked with the Pharaoh and destined to awaken him. He knew perhaps there were pros and cons to weigh in this case but the sheer idea of not being truly part of Yami was heartbreaking to work through. Even if it meant he had in Egypt held some special place in the Pharaoh's heart this idea of Heba compromised what had for years now been his concept of self. Not just himself as Yugi Mutou but his concept of his own soul which had transcended the centuries to pieces itself back together like the puzzle.

"I still don't see how I could have solved the puzzle then…" was the weak reply he managed to voice to Atemu's empathetic expression.

"The Heba from my dreams was special," he promised fiercely, "there _was_a bond there between him and the Pharaoh that I don't know the specifics of. Yugi I'm sure that whatever held you and the Pharaoh together through time was tangible but perhaps it's just not what you initially thought. I know that if I were in his shoes and I had to be awoken after centuries to face the shadow realm I'd think you were a much more useful host than myself. I would have been a useless vessel."

"You shouldn't say that," Yugi sighed, "you're amazing."

"Frankly Yugi I used to be quite deplorable. I was half hearted in everything I did, even the things I loved. I was selfish and short sighted." Atemu was so level in his speech, blunt, but there was hearty fire in his eyes to sway Yugi. "I couldn't come through on anything. It wasn't really until I woke from that coma that I even felt alive. I've had such vibrancy, gumption, since then I hardly recognise myself. I was such a pathetic shadow before hand, not a fully realized human being. I'm have much more self worth, a little more deserved at that, that I'm inclined to think I wasn't complete initially."

"But surely with the Pharaoh you could've become that?" He supposed.

He wanted to defend Atemu's sense of pride. It was peculiar for him to want to, or need to, convince someone such as the foreigner of how many wondrous qualities he possessed. The only thing restraining him from going into a rant was the knowledge that Atemu would stubbornly brush it off for, what he thought, was the real crux of the issue. Yami had to be argued with skilfully as well. Yugi had often come at subjects from one angle, to return to them later down the track from another in order to make the spirit see reason.

"It must've been down to magic," Atemu concluded, "I know Heba had special magic. Nothing like Kisara or the Millennium Items or the traditional sort of shadow duelling. I'm positive that whatever connected Heba and the Pharaoh also ensured their victory against Zork. Doubtless then you had some power the Pharaoh would've been helpless without. Doubtless too that Heba's reincarnation was meant to solve the puzzle and not me."

"Why then was part of the Pharaoh reincarnated at all?" Yugi sighed exhaustedly. "He wanted to rest in the afterlife and be at peace with all his friends."

"Yes but think of what you told me about when those doors opened after your duel with him. You saw Seth and Isis and many others there waiting for the Pharaoh who had also been reincarnated." It was becoming apparent as he continued that Atemu would not be dissuaded from his theory. "Perhaps then the Pharaoh is at rest and his soul is reborn, and now, complete again."

"Still we don't have any proof Heba existed…"

"Can we look?"

"I have a friend on it already," he admittedly finally, "if he doesn't find anything we're out in the cold."

"Is that where you ran off to this morning?" Atemu queried in sharp observation, he didn't miss a thing this man and it caused Yugi to flush. That was another scheme exposed.

"Yes actually…" Yugi found his fingers worrying the back of his neck in an embarrassed little gesture. "You'll have to forgive my caution."

"Not at all," Atemu smiled fondly, and dismissed his secrecy with a wave. "You have every reason to be."

"You've been very permissive of my faults thus far thankfully."

"That's because you don't have any, as far as I'm concerned, and you won't convince me otherwise."

"I'm not sure if I want to then!" Yugi smiled, letting some of the burden hovering over him ease, in the afternoon sun fighting its way past the curtains. Atemu gave him the sense that, whatever the answer was to their problem, it would be a happy one and that they would rush towards it when the time was right.

"You know you haven't asked me a great deal about Heba," Atemu considered solemnly reclining back on the bed, resting his hands across his stomach like a Pharaoh in a coffin. "I would have thought you'd be exceptionally keen to learn all you could."

"I am curious," he muttered, "I just either don't know where to start, or I'm afraid of what I might learn. That doesn't normally happen with me. I just thought I had this all figured out already. Now I don't know what to expect."

"I can assure you, that while you may not have been a Pharaoh, if I'm right, you were a professional tease."

"Hey!" Yugi laughed at the softly smirking face regarding him. "You're making that up!"

"I wish," Atemu groaned, eyes fluttering shut as though he might drift off to sleep content in his decision.

"Alright then, I'll bite, tell me?"

Atemu's eyes opened cheekily, at the almost plea, flicking to Yugi with intent satisfaction. There was some evident cunning making itself known across those features and Yugi suspected he would not escape the recount without a live demonstration.

"Where do I start…?" Atemu pondered wickedly and Yugi took heed to keep a very close eye on his wandering hands. "Ah, God, let's see…Heba lived in the harem."

"Oh no he didn't!" Yugi insisted, mildly horrified. He was intent to call out any kind of bluff Atemu had added for dramatic affect but it seemed no lies were necessary if the man's satisfied smirk was anything to go by.

"Yes he did! He was sent as a part of shipment of slaves as a gift but…" the man chuckled, "he made a deal with the Pharaoh, challenged him in a game actually, on the condition that if he won he didn't ever have to serve that particular purpose."

"And he won." The smaller decided bluntly.

"It's tragic," Atemu sighed, "I can tell you're just as upset as I was."

"My heart is broken." Yugi swore with that friendly little chime of sarcasm.

"Don't fret, I promise my story has a happy ending."

"Oh thank goodness!"

"Anyway," Yugi's companion had to pause a moment longer to let half a chuckle escape, but scraping together his attempt to fabricate the appropriate mood leant over the smaller resting his weight upon his elbows as he did so. It took just a little of the mischief out of Yugi when Atemu brought them so close but not enough to put him onto the defensive so soon. "So, yes, Heba won. When he did, even though he retained his residence in the comfortable chambers of the harem, he made a name for himself instead amongst the servants."

"Not like that I hope!"

"No, not at all, rather as their champion." Atemu revealed proudly. "I don't know if he really fancied the Pharaoh very much at all but to everyone else he was quite affectionate. Brave, peaceful, chivalrous… his philosophy, as I remember him putting it, was that the Pharaoh had plenty of people to attend him as their first priority and all those good people deserved someone to look after their best interests. So in Heba's list of priorities pleasing Pharaoh came last."

"I'm surprised in that day and age he didn't lose his head for those kinds of principles."

"Luckily he understood the subtly of speaking with your actions rather than your words."

"Like a certain someone who thinks I don't feel that hand inching down my waist?"

"There is a minor similarity," Atemu grinned but even caught out his fingers didn't relent in their path along Yugi's side, "sadly too for Heba all that backbone made him even more irresistible to a _certain someone_."

"Who was just desperate for a rematch?"

"Not a rematch exactly," Atemu's voice had dropped an octave or two reaching down into what Yugi chose to describe as gooey-chocolate territory. Yugi had never been very good at sinking his voice that low for a girlfriend and Atemu even had the gall to make it look easy. All those little jealousies paled however in face of the fact that Yugi was the very centre of Atemu's attention as he spoke.

Yugi's hands trailed over the firm chest exposed above him, over the delicately composed shoulders and the pronounced clavicle. His eyes were doing some wandering of their own accord but were reeled back to Atemu's almost immediately as that curious hand slipped beneath Yugi's criminally loose shirt.

"No, Pharaoh was much more interested in getting his hands all over you," Atemu informed him softly, maintaining that entrancing eye contact as his hand slipped up further to tweak a pebbled nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He seemed to garner great amusement from regarding Yugi's little twinge and the surprised squeak-sigh he'd strung from him. "It was painful when you looked fine from afar but when the distance shrunk and you were _this_ close…close enough to grab, to strip…"

Atemu's fingers tightened pointedly urging Yugi's hips to roll up of their own accord. He received, for his trouble, a tease of a kiss the tip of Atemu's nose skirting his cheekbone.

"It was a crime when you came close enough for your scent to carry," Yugi knees squeezed tightly against each other as Atemu's nose nuzzled down the column of his neck his tongue dragging the same path back up, "made me just want to devour you."

Yugi gave in a little, he purred, giving Atemu all the encouragement he required to slip back a little lower on his still upstanding elbow. There was a curious instant Yugi was unaware of his plan as Atemu pushed his shirt till it rumpled under Yugi's armpits, assaulting the skin with cooling air, and nipped the bud between his teeth directly. That earned him a new gasp which set Atemu twisting his tongue over the flesh. Yugi's hands moved more of their own accord rather than in partnership with any real scheme in response. He grasped Atemu's shoulders tightly, his knee quirking up as his feet gained enough purchase in the bedding to flip them.

The bemused staring contest Atemu had with the ceiling in the seconds that followed was enough to prompt Yugi to cover his mouth for a giggle. The foreigner scoffed, but as he made a gesture to raise himself onto his haunches Yugi's keen hand's flew to force Atemu's shoulders back into the mattress. That only served to confuse Atemu further who regarded Yugi's curious little turn of events with eager eyes as the smaller pressed a slender finger to his own lips.

He hoped Atemu assumed it was for the atmosphere of their ruff and tumble in the sheets that Yugi kept quiet but, frankly, Yugi was a little concerned he might lose his nerve if his delicious partner spoke too much. Yugi was lucky to be imbued with a Gamer's confidence, a strategist's straight face, so despite his complete lack of experience regarding relationships of this sort he could at least appear unconcerned. He'd wager that he had onee substantial advantage over his female counterparts in this event: personal experience. He at least knew how pleasure himself, how he liked things, and with that he had plenty of hope for forcing Atemu on the sexual defensive.

He let himself rest his weight on Atemu's thighs, he was always prepared for some attempt at retaliation, but confident he gave his hands permission to drag down that perfectly defined torso. He took his time to savour it, which seemed torturous to Atemu whose already dark eyes dipped deeper shades of vermillion, as Yugi curiously quirked a nipple. There was a dusty quality to the skin as Yugi scrapped his nails along it, his fingers falling into the groves of a tightly strung ribcage, which was peculiar but pleasant. It was as if Yugi couldn't detach Atemu totally from his homeland. Even in a skyscraper hotel in Japan the foreigner still felt and smelt of sand, sun and sex.

Yugi brought his face so very close Atemu flexed every muscle in his neck to raise himself hopefully for a kiss. He was disappointed however when Yugi buried himself against his companions clavicle to better inhale his scent. He was so very much the Pharaoh come to life, physical, really truly physical…Yugi could let himself believe it was his Yami entirely for a long, quiet, moment. When Atemu's fingers carded against his skull, through thick locks of hair, Yugi had to ease his muscle momentarily in a swoon. It was only through sheer will he gathered himself back together and pushed on with his exploration.

He found himself kissing down the pounding chest without any real hesitation. Yet it was terribly surreal to touch Atemu like this, to touch the spitting image of the Pharaoh like this, in a way he'd never even considered before. That these thoughts had never occurred to him, or that his relationship with the Pharaoh had been so simple and pure, was incredibly ridiculous to him now with Atemu's heady scent assaulting him and his potent limbs under his lips.

The smaller boy swore he could hear the foreigner purr, which was a delicious revelation Yugi found some mischievous pleasure in spurring on. He had his tongue dip teasingly into a pouty bellybutton when his free hand, the other stabilising himself and his curled back, ran along the crotch of the other's straining pants. Atemu arched and Yugi pushed back responsively with his palm into the grind. It was sluggish, nearly tentative, but he didn't ceasing.

He had Atemu bucking up into his hands well before he made to unbuckle the tightened pants and slip his hands tentatively but determinedly against bare, hot, flesh.

"Hmm…" Atemu hissed.

Yugi watched his euphoric face rather than dare to glance directly at the firm arousal inbetween his fingers. Just the thought of it made his eyes flash and his cheeks turn crimson, especially as he moved his fingers over Atemu. Who, for his part, was in heaven. Nothing could shift that for Atemu but Yugi could feel himself heat further at his curious fondling of the handsome young man. He had one leg between Atemu's, pulling himself up on his elbow over the man, letting his busied hand remain between those shapely legs. He stroked the man in long, slow, exploratory motions.

"Gods above…" Atemu was muttering swears left, right and centre till he, pushing himself up on one elbow, brought their chests together so Yugi could all but lie his weight into him, he groped for the back of Yugi's skull to pull him back into a tight kiss.

Atemu managed to flip them, well not so gracefully, it was more of directed roll really but regardless he was on top of Yugi bearing his lips down into him and grinding his hips into his hands for a few more, delicious, moments.

Then he bucked, hard, throwing his head back with a delighted purr and Yugi, without realizing, was sighing contentedly, greedily, at the sight himself without any assistance or prodding. Atemu just looked _good_. Yugi knew that feeling of just _wanting_ something or someone all for his own. Wanting to hit the new rollercoaster, wanting that chocolate sunday even if it was fourteen bucks US, just because it looked so damn good… Atemu was like that. Yugi wanted him to touch him back. He wanted more of this. The foreigner was just _yummy_ in a totally non-tourist-serial-killer kind of way. Even more so as Atemu gave a few more lazy thrusts into his hands, as he eased off his orgasm, to collapse eventually beside him, his face buried in Yugi's neck.

The bed sheets got the brunt of the mess, as Yugi brushed his hand against them, but not without an alarming consideration to lick his palm clean like a cat lapping at cream which he barely repressed. Atemu was still purring if nothing else cat-like could be found, his body pressed limb to matching limb against Yugi's, letting his heart rate settle.

As Atemu came down his hand wandered, weakly, along Yugi's flank and over the indentations of his pointed hips. His thumb worked itself in hard circles against the hollow in a way that brought out little sounds, flexes, though Yugi couldn't decide if the sensation was painful or wonderful. Atemu obviously knew his way around a lover which was mildly intimidating but not terrifying. His hand came back up, skirting under Yugi's shirt over the flat expanse of his navel and when he began to finger Yugi's nipples idly the littler one squirmed.

"Hmm no," Yugi murmured his hand at Atemu's shoulders moving the young man onto his back once more so he could flop atop, him with his head on the still lightly thrumming chest.

"Why not?" Atemu was very close to whining about that but his arm settled around Yugi's shoulders to hold him nonetheless. "I want to return the favour. The fantastic, much appreciated, favour."

Yugi snorted merrily.

"You've got to take me on a date first. I'm not an instant-put-out." Yugi teased but there was a tiny underbelly of truth. Atemu had called himself everything but a player when it came to his plethora of one night stands. Yugi didn't want to be one of those.

"I thought I took you on one yesterday?" He debated without any real forcefulness to his argument. "Ice cream in the park and all that, I'm sure I've seen it in a Disney movie, it counts."

"Oh yes because Disney is the store of all romantic knowledge in the world," Yugi laughed, "if that was true we'd be long married and I'd have use for a clamshell bra."

"So you want a modern non-Disney date then." Atemu clarified playfully tilting the tiny white chin up towards his crimson gaze. "That translates to tequila and sex in my book."

"_Ha ha_. No."

"Killjoy."

"I'm Japanese." Yugi grinned wickedly. "It's what we're good at."

Atemu balked suddenly with intensely guilty laughter before containing himself enough to draw Yugi into a deep spontaneous kiss that lingered. All inappropriate world war jokes were quickly forgotten.

"Where should I take you then?" Atemu asked finally.

"There's an arcade on the promenade," Yugi shrugged, he loved the arcade but wiry teenagers had a way of challenging him to duel any time he went through the centre of the city. Kids came to Domino just for it and frankly it was exhausting. Yugi couldn't refuse a challenge, that would be a direct forfeit, so his afternoons tended to lengthen unnecessarily if he was stupid enough to go out around three to five.

"I like the sound of that." Atemu wouldn't understand the annoyances of being 'King of Games' in the world's gaming capital or at least Yugi thought until; "I can sell tickets to duel you."

"You're horrible!"

"Maybe," Atemu grinned, "how about a movie?"

"So you can fondle me in the dark?"

"That's the general idea."

"No." Yugi tapped his nose firmly. "No groping, no fondling, and no bathroom blowjobs."

"Not even a little?"

"None." He swore. "You have to be a total gentleman."

"Hmm…" Atemu sighed ponderously, "or I could pin you down and not go anywhere?"

Yugi raised one brow skceptically. _Bullshit_. Atemu was not that kind of man and it was apparent enough Yugi had his bluff.

* * *

><p>They ended up in the arcade district after all. They couldn't think of anything the pair of them would like to do together more than game unsurprisngly. What else did two professional gamblers do for fun? Luckily being about seven on a Monday night most of the kids were home eating dinner or doing homework. The older duelists for the most part knew how to pick their battles. They usually wanted a competition crowd, time to prep their deck, if they were going to headhunt Yugi so they weren't like to demand a duel.<p>

Atemu was going to be the first person Yugi recruited in a zombie apocalypse he quickly decided after the first few rounds of shot ups at the consoles. The Egyptian had a mad intolerance for carpal tunnel. He was not however ever asking the young man to compete in any dance offs with him. They were both dreadful at DDR. Yugi blamed his short legs, while Atemu said that jumping like a spastic didn't qualify as actual dancing and in better circumstances he had amazing rhythm. Yugi was inclined to agree but chose to tease him about it regardless.

"You know," Yugi told him later with an armful of stuffed toys, as he swapped with the foreigner in their turn taking strategy to run the claw machine owners out of business, "the whole '_I was in a coma dreaming of you_' spiel must be great for pick ups. It's so _cheesy_, if you don't mind me saying, really_ Mills and Boons_."

"Well it's better than yours," Atemu grinned cheekily as he hunched over the machine fishing out another Pikachu plushie, "_I see dead people_ is so nineteen nineties."

Mario collided with Atemu's head stoutly enough to make him break into cackles at Yugi's flustered expense.

"You're terrible!"

"You love it." Atemu stressed with wicked pleasure.

Yugi would admit that perhaps he did but not out loud. He'd missed afternoons like this. It was a best kept secret that he had taken time here without his friends, usually late in the evening during the school week, to think things over with the Pharaoh. Normally it was all ramble about their deck construction, girls and so on. They saved the talk for big baddies for home while Yugi fell asleep. There was something both nostalgic and cathartic about the date now that everyone else could spot the handsome Egyptian Yugi was totting.

He worried they'd be spotted. Not by competition but perhaps his friends. He wasn't sure how exactly he was going to explain the possibly reborn Pharaoh reappearing. He rather liked having Atemu all to himself just as a side note…

Gods what would Anzu say? She'd be falling over herself for Atemu. They'd decided dating wasn't for their relationship, and Yugi hadn't minded, but Anzu was always complaining about how insensitive American guys were. Now a charming and chivalrous incarnation of the Pharaoh was again amongst them Yugi might have to fight her off. No…the grin Atemu took pleasure in giving him (that sent a ripple up his spine and a stroke of crimson across his cheekbones) spoke volumes about Atemu's preferences in the matter. It was definitely nice to be so special to someone after all this time.

Jou, Honda, Otogi, Marik, Ryou...the rest of the gang would be varying shades from ridiculously happy to deliriously confused, but the cake would be Kaiba. Seto would probably start up an all knew personal vendetta which Atemu, being so dreadfully cheeky, would love. Yugi was looking at another six years hard supernatural-fighting time minimum. That sounded pretty good all chaos considered. Come to think of it he should really ride Marik's ass to get those Heba details and confirm Atemu's story…

"Oi!"

Yugi didn't even blink from over his overstuffed pile of badly made toys. He, at first, delightfully assumed the hollering wasn't directed at him but the universe, not being so kind, had other plans.

"Hey!" The obnoxious little punk rallied again, thrusting a finger at him for the benefit of his slack jawed posse. "You're Yugi Mutou right?"

"The one and only," he smiled hopefully, "nice to meet you."

"Then I challenge you to a duel!"

_Oh of course you do_.

Yugi wanted to roll over and die. He'd been having such a nice, retard free, evening. He loved rambunctious up and coming duelists but this little scraggly runt had the nasty look of arrogant overconfidence about him.

"Ha!" Atemu scoffed from the joystick without ever looking at the kid.

"What's that punk?"

"Duel Yugi?" he laughed again at the high schooler. "Kid you couldn't beat_ me_."

"You kidding?" The kid's posse, because this kind of attention whore always had a posse Yugi had discovered, were watching Atemu's lazy form keenly now. "I could thrash a newbie like you any day!"

"Yeah right." The delicious foreigner chuckled.

"Then bring it retard!" The kid was about this close to hitting his fists against his buffed out chest and Yugi was having a very hard time containing the myriad of expressions that wanted to leap off his face.

"Well since you asked so nicely," Atemu sighed fishing out the latest stuffed toy to pass onto Yugi's pile, "I suppose I can do you the honour of embarrassing you in front of your boyfriends. Shall we take this outside?"

There were some obscenities shortly following which Yugi didn't bother transcribing to memory. The slur was not worth recognition in the face of the impending whoop ass about to be dolled out. Yugi was excited about the prospect of not having to prove himself to another punk but even more so for the chance to see Atemu's duelling skills in action. When had been the last time the Pharaoh took the front seat in a duelling arena for him?

* * *

><p>"I think you made him cry." Yugi muttered as they departed the now overcrowded arcade front. "It was <em>beautiful<em>."

"Sweet satisfaction thy name is whoop ass." Atemu declared both hands stuffed smugly in his hip pockets.

"I should pay you to do that everyday."

"I take cash, credit or kiss."

"You're _so_lame."

"I'm not allowed to be awesome all the time," Atemu defended lazily, as rounding the corner Yugi reached the donation bin and began stuffing their prizes down the slot. "If I was you'd call me a show off."

"Awesome used to have a restraining order out on us." Yugi grinned quietly to himself. Stuffing the third Mario down the slot had forced him onto his tiptoes to push the contents of the donation bin down to make more room for their additions. What better do to with all those toys?

His skinny form was taller than it had been in high school but Yugi was relentlessly scrawny. Scrawny enough in fact for most of his upper body to slip down the slot into the donation bin with his legs flailing in a second of off-balance panic. There was nothing for a moment as he braced himself, arms out rigidly on the little pile of stuffed toys he'd forced down the slot, but sure enough he could eventually hear Atemu cackling at his expense.

"Help me!" Yugi demanded weakly and cackling like a harpy Atemu's strong hands took their sweet time in securing his ankles and tugging him up, till his booted toes could brush the pavement once more.

He stood on uneasy feet while he regained his bearings, Atemu pulling him into his own body for support, as he was effectively flipped right-way-up puffing the hair from his dishevelled face.

"Not funny," he insisted but Atemu was having far too much fun chuckling at him, "why do I like you again?"

"Because I'm the reincarnation of your dead boyfriend," was Atemu's blunt response though he relented to sweeten the deal with his arms round Yugi's hips, "and because I'm going to buy some ice cream and junk from that minimart across the street to eat in bed at the hotel."

"Well…" Yugi softened considerably at the prospect, tossing his hair from his face with his fore and index fingers.

"I know," he grinned, "you love me again."

"Something like that," Yugi laughed, allowing Atemu's arm purchase about his shoulders to lead the way back. "I really should go to class some point this week though. I don't think my university professors know who I am."

"Expensive acquaintances."

"I'm doing most of it by distance," Yugi shrugged, "Pegasus is paying for half of it so he can send me to Egypt and India for Industrial Illusions."

"Who's paying the rest?"

"Kaiba," Yugi cackled.

"So you're already contracted for Industrial Illusions and Kaiba Corp?"

"I just wanted to play Duel Monsters," He shrugged. "Apparently people will pay big bucks for me to do it for a living. They think I'm an expert in something."

* * *

><p>Had Yugi been in love with Yami? He mulled it over viciously when they returned from the arcade and Yugi sunk into the bathtub. University was weighing on him. He had a little mental to-do list biting at his heels but pushing it down was proving relatively successful in the face of such important topics.<p>

He loved baths loaded with bubbles, like his current quiet bay, but the game shop didn't have any room for a bath. He'd only set the puzzle on the corner of a bathtub a handful of times but even after all of Atemu's kisses the memory didn't stir a blush.

Had Yami ever made him blush? He'd been fleetingly jealous of Anzu's affection for the Pharaoh but he'd never thought those feelings were collaborated with his feelings for Yami rather than Anzu. Yami had been too sacred for a school boy crush. He'd made Yugi feel like…what had he made Yugi feel like, if he thought about it objectively?

Yugi remembered…

He blushed.

He remembered a Saturday night somewhere between Duelist City and the Orichalcos when he'd been up burning the midnight oil. He'd been cutting his deck at his desk, radio blaring, with a plate of last night's leftovers teetering on his math book. Grandpa's hearing was so dreadful Yugi could have the radio loud enough to fill his room with tunes without worrying about waking him. He'd had an aging tourist teaspoon from Tibet hanging out his mouth when a song came on midnight radio.

Domino never played anything but domestic and western music during the day hours, even in the evening something really exotic was rare, but Yugi had the great pleasure of catching a little oddity. It was something like Arabian techno. It had taken all of thirty seconds of bouncing his head to the beat before he was up on his feet twisting his heels in the carpet like a spazz. Both hands above his head, he pulled his aging t-shirt up over his taunt navel and his boxers up his thighs as he bounced his bare feet.

On about the third spin, and not until, he spotted the spirit of the Pharaoh leaning his elbows on his knees slouched on the cusp of his mattress. He'd been watching with a brilliantly content smile etched on his face. He'd been happy Yugi was happy and Yugi had only paused for a few seconds, spoon still in mouth as he danced, before the chorus distracted him back into the beat. He wasn't comfortable enough to dance like that in front of anybody else but with Yami embarrassment didn't merit thinking about.

The opening of the bathroom door threw that thought out the window abruptly.

"_ATEMU!_" Yugi hollered, throwing his arms over himself under the water, cheeks burning. "Still in here!"

"I know." Atemu grinned slipping past the bathroom door. "I couldn't resit taking a peak."

"You don't respect my privacy." Yugi grumbled sinking till his knees peeked up from under the water and his nose sunk under the surface like a little pale, disapproving, crocodile. There went his train of thought down the drain.

"Well it's not often a mere mortal catches something so gorgeous in a bathtub." Atemu elaborated charmingly perching himself on the far corner of the porcelain tub.

Yugi could inch towards forgiving Atemu. If he hadn't let those darkened eyes wander over Yugi's bare form or snuck one downy, cinnamon, arm into the cooling water. His fingers hooked round the smaller boy's ankle, fishing his slick leg out of the pool entirely, to splay it over his lap despite Yugi's squirming. If Yugi hadn't been covering himself so profusely he would've kicked free but Atemu instead took the opportunity to inspect the limb lovingly with both hands. Yugi had never received such determined attentions to his calf, and the exposed lower half of his thigh, fingers inching under the surface of the water between his legs then falling back to drag wet trails over his drying lower leg.

Yugi's chest compressed with tension his heart pounding. He'd had the reign to explore Atemu's eager and permissive body earlier that morning but he had done everything in his power since to keep Atemu from becoming to intimate with him. He wasn't sure what it was but there was something intensely arousing and terrifying, in equal measure, about how Atemu could hold him, touch him, lick him. Yugi's heart and burning cheeks were working in excited tandem now. Atemu had moved on to cradling Yugi's bent knee in his hand, kneading the flesh of his lower thigh, his smiling mouth licking inquisitively at one shy toe very suggestively.

"Stop," Yugi murmured weakly, his body liquefying under a few more choice caresses that filled his veins with magma.

Atemu's arm was soaked carelessly in its path along the tensed underside of Yugi's leg, sneaking along his inner thigh with firm, short, strokes along the tendons. Yugi thighs tightened, coil-like, trapping Atemu's hand between them as it strayed his dark thumb wandering back and forth soothingly over Yugi's starkly pale skin.

"Hnn…" He was breathless but within the needy desire there was a fast mounting current of fear, doubt and displeasure he couldn't trace to a source. "Quit it…"

"_Shh._"

Yugi was beyond being hushed however, he kicked, wrenching his leg free to submerge once more cradled up against his chest with its twin. Atemu blinked ponderously, arms suddenly empty and refocused all his attention back to Yugi's half hidden face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he sighed, he was lost on that himself.

"I'm sorry." Atemu whispered though he appeared pained not to still be touching the littler of the pair.

"It's okay," Yugi promised, "give me a minute to finish up in here?"

"Sure," there was a smile but no satisfaction. Atemu was taken aback, perhaps even hurt, as to what exactly he'd done to offend Yugi.

Yugi dunked himself, legs up and head down, under the nearly frigid water. His knees knocked while he grumbled, bubbles out his nose, from compressed lungs. He wanted to stay under the surface for about an hour but, sadly, he hadn't developed guilt or shame induced gills. Why had he done that? It was royally unfair to lavish Atemu with touches earlier in the day and not expect to get any back. Ironically he considered some people might love the implications of a partner like that but the foreigner was obviously more interested in Yugi's pleasure than his own. Hell, from the looks of it Atemu got far greater arousal from stimulating Yugi than being serviced.

Was it because Atemu had made it clear he'd been a playboy? Was Yugi worried of being used and dumped like an old sack or were these just the trivial hesitations of a virgin? That didn't sound right. He wasn't concerned Atemu would leave him, because he didn't honestly think he would. His virginity too was more of a nuisance than some great gift, though, that was not to say that he'd ever been tempted to give it away lightly.

Was it the Pharaoh holding him back? Couldn't he think of Yami, and by extension Atemu, like that or on the other hand was it instead that…? He forced his head up to inhale fresh oxygen, slumping his upper body haphazardly over the side of the tub. Was it because he didn't know if Atemu really was Yami? Maybe he… maybe he didn't want anyone but Yami so while his doubts for Atemu's sincerity remained he couldn't see the way to giving the Egyptian everything.

He felt like a sap but that wasn't anything new. The real burn here was how foolish he was for never thinking of this. Gods in a perfect world, a perfect romance, shouldn't he just love Atemu for being Atemu? Instead he was restrained be-all-and-end-all by whether or not Atemu was an incarnation of Yami. He felt almost selfish for it. Any one would be overjoyed to have Atemu's loving affection, Yugi was, but he was still pining for a ghost he thought he'd long buried.

The trickling sensation of epiphany that, maybe, the Pharaoh was why he was still a virgin after all weighed heavily on his shoulders.

The only thing for it was to pull himself together and apologise to Atemu. It was the right thing to do, or so he told himself, so sloppy wet but towelled, with his hair dripping rivets down his back, he set about it.

* * *

><p>Atemu was the very model of composure in the lounge even when, overcome with lingering guilt, Yugi planted himself cautiously across his lap. Atemu blinked, then smiled, keeping his hands totally under wraps till Yugi wrapped his round the perfect shoulder blades sighing. It was reassuring, forgiving, when the foreigner grasped his waist which at least gave Yugi strength to speak.<p>

"I'm sorry." He muttered. "I'm just… I don't know honestly, scared I guess?"

"It's alright," Atemu shrugged, shifting Yugi a little closer as he leant into the backing of the lounge. "It's not that you don't think of me like that, is it?"

"No." Yugi stressed. "Not at all. You're gorgeous, you're sexy, you're hilarious, I have fun with you, I'm content with you and you're sweet. I don't know what it is."

"Do you want me to take you home?"

"No." He was surprisingly adamant about that. "I want to sleep here with you again, like you have no idea, unless you want to kick me out?"

"Never," the young man swore reverently, squeezing Yugi's hip, brushing their noses.

"I guess maybe being a virgin is a bigger deal than I expected it to be."

"You're special," Atemu whispered a small kiss lain gingerly against Yugi's temple, "and your first anything should be special. Please don't think I take it trivially. My first time was disastrous, I want yours to be perfect, I just can barely keep my eyes off you let alone my hands."

"Thanks," he even found himself smiling, "I don't know why you like me so much."

"As long as I know why it's fine." Atemu shrugged. "Bed?"

"Just let me text Grandpa to tell him I'll be back in a few days and not a few months."

* * *

><p>Yugi had intense dreams frequently but curled around Atemu, held, his mind had been blissfully blank the previous night. His doubt in Heba had made that fact upsetting. He had thought if it was true there would be some inkling in his soul but his efforts to cull his mind had proved pointless…<p>

Tonight however was a fair night for Shadow Magic.

* * *

><p><em>There wasn't a world outside Khemet as far as he was concerned. He'd quickly come to the conclusion that the entirety of the known world which did not bank the Nile was the cold, desolate and sickly. <em>

_The whole of the east, the south, and the places where the sun never took more than a few hours rest were truly the most stunning places to reside. The summer scorched the earth, true, and the people lived and died on the height to which the inundation flooded their lands, yes, and even the wood for the boats had to be gifted from foreign countries but there was no where outside this sun soaked region as peaceful or as beautiful. He much preferred this way of life: the splendour, the honour, the delicacy in all its elusive dangers to the drudgery of the higher continents. In Rome they dealt with snow and rain, built on a drained swamp swarming with malaria, and when presented with that choice or the famine and heat of Khemet he had a clear preference. _

_The Pharaohs here had such mystique about them, as in fact did every fibre of the country, through that mystery which was breathed via the grand scale of their peculiar gods. The concept that Loki or Hades or Pluto could have a jackal's head was both laughable and offensive in concept but in execution, in forty foot limestone, magnificently bizarre._

_Whether he should fancy himself a scholar or a concubine was another matter of mystery. True indeed he'd had time here to ponder all the secrets of the living heart but no great minds from the Forum would be found lounging in indigo dyed linen, like fat whores, in softly bobbing boats meandering up and down the Nile. The heat of the midday sun that permeated the canopy over the boat, however, dissipated those thoughts in humid sweat. So he let that idea flop back on itself like a drunkard, and dipped his fingers in the cool, crisp, water just beyond the boat. The cool of his fingers sent tingles of relief up his sweaty arms as he ran his digits through the life blood of Khemet._

_He was, luckily, not the only one lazing which did a great deal to dissipate his guilt in the matter. There would be pregnant concubines to soothe, guards squabbling over their rations of grain, cooks, scribes and stable hands slaving diligently over their trades in Luxor but for now even the crocodiles had given up on hunting to rest in the shallows of the banks, too lazy to even swat at the ibises who skirted them in the reeds. The Pharaoh too, whose light was scheduled to fill the world for all of Ra's journey across the sky, was dozing just over his shoulder like a delinquent school boy running from his tasks. _

_The boat halted with a lurch, earning Pharaoh's groan of disapproval through the silks of the canopy, and he leant further over the bow to observe the source of their stalling. He had not expected them to arrive at a cataract so soon and, withdrawing his hand from the river, rolled back within the humid nest of pillows. They would be some time adjusting the water levels, to ensure their passage up and down the river, so he could justify pressing his head into Pharaoh's sleepy side and resting his eyes. _

* * *

><p>Atemu was gone when Yugi woke again. The intensity of his visions plagued his conscious as he stirred but drifted from real, immediate, importance in his exhaustion induced stupidity. Hands over his face, he moaned, and twisted back to his side sleepily. He was more conscious tonight. He sensed something astray and it was the only thing that made him open his eyes, rather than slip back into beautiful unconsciousness. It was at least three am by the blazing hotel alarm. Yugi waited, quietly, his hands above his head on the puffed pillow, for Atemu to return to bed but when four or five minutes elapsed he forced himself up.<p>

"'Temu?" he called lazily, still barely aware of himself.

There was no light in the hotel room. The carpet was still humid, at least, when he stumbled out of bed and inspected the bathroom, kitchenette and lounge. Atemu was nowhere to be found. His wallet was there, so was his phone, but his swipe room card was missing from the wallet. Yugi paused. He'd left the room but what on earth for? He couldn't have gone far. Duel disk? Deck? Yugi flicked the lights unable to find them in his fumbling.

Yugi didn't consider going back to bed but he did hesitate. A sigh and half a moment later he was pulling up his jeans, pressing pushing the balcony doors open. He leant over the barrier, sniffing the air, closing his eyes and glancing down the glittering corridor of streets below. He could feel something rippling under his skin, the sky seemed itchy, the atmosphere was heavy with the smell of sweet, wet, sand.

There was _definitely_ magic on the air.

Shadow magic, actually, if the burn on Yugi's forehead was anything to go by. The Sennen Eye, the eye of truth, was dying to flare to life on his skin. Yugi left the balcony doors thrown open, grabbed his deck and his duel disk, and headed out of the hotel. His forehead burned around bouncy, aching, limbs and urged him down the back streets. His body knew where to find shadow magic, how to track it and he'd seen enough nasty magic these years to find it anywhere. He'd found it in every continent on Earth.

When he reached the little pocket of shadow realm he wasn't surprised, he just focused on the Sennen Eye, let it flare into visibility, and forced his way through the veil inside the pocket. He didn't know why he still had shadow magic, Egyptian magic, all these years after the Pharaoh and the puzzle had left him. He hadn't really thought about it during all his battles after the Ceremonial Duel. Maybe it was because of Heba? The magic gave him the capability to push into the shadow pockets rather than run through them like Jonouchi, Anzu and Honda during Duelist Kingdom.

"_-ALTY GAME!_"

On the other side Yugi could make out a group of gang-types covering, convulsing, on the ground, sure enough, with a handsomely tanned body leaning over them.

"Atemu!"

The man buckled momentarily, twisting to him, while Yugi waited with one hand cautiously on his deck. He was almost expecting a horror movie like reveal of some dreadful monster-like face. He was expecting some betrayal or reveal but no, it was just Atemu, blinking curiously at him.

"_Aibou?_"

Alright that made up for the lack of monster. Yugi's hand wavered from his deck, gazing dumbly at the man instead.

"Yami?"

* * *

><p>AN: Never fear ladies and gents! This is not the finale part after all! My sincerest apologies put while I was putting up this chapter I decided to split it in two. It was originally a whooping 39 pages and that seemed a bit extreme so I found a nice, albeit cliff hanging, spot to cut you off.<p>

The second half of this chapter is fully edited and written and will be up in a day or so. It will come with answers, a conclusion and a lemon. You have my word and permission to tar and feather me if it doesn't transpire.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey boys and girls. Final chapter! My apologies on the bait and switch last time.

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: Finales<p>

The shadow realm pocket was already dissipating, the gangster were still crying, Yami glanced to them then to Yugi and, moving briskly forward, took his hand to lead him from the scene of the crime. There would be police later with lots of question for the newly broken criminals off to the loony bin. Yugi didn't know how many times Yami had run back home, or casually strolled, after assaulting some of his classmates in their first six months together.

Finally they were on a quiet back street with Yugi's upper arm in Atem- _Yami's_ hand.

"Is it you?" Yugi demanded feebly.

"Sort of," he shrugged his Japanese distinctly fluent in contrast with Atemu's beautiful slurring, "I remember everything but I'm not really the Pharaoh so to speak. I suppose I must be the part of Atemu that clearly recalls our time."

"So…" he didn't know whether to believe him but it was hard not to. Yami knew he was struggling, he just smiled, took Yugi's hand in his and kept walking from the spot of the shadow game.

"How long have you been up?" Yugi muttered.

"Only since we arrived in Japan."

"You didn't tell me." He felt almost accusing but he didn't sound it. He just wanted to understand.

"I did," Yami answered stubbornly slipping his arm around Yugi's shoulders as they made it to the park, "you were tired _Aibou_but I told you."

"No you-" Yugi paused, "oh… yeah you did. I remember. I guess I thought I was dreaming."

"You knew, not consciously, but you've know." Yami chuckled. "You didn't let Atemu kiss you till after I told you."

"No, I didn't." He blushed furiously at the realization.

"I think he's rather mad for you." The Pharaoh sighed a little reluctantly in the semi darkness of the park lights.

"You nearly sound jealous," Yugi chuckled weakly, "no one could replace you in my heart."

"I know." He swore with another tiny smile squeezing Yugi closer. They should've been rambling intensely about the details of how and why but that was relatively irrelevant. Yugi had Yami. What else did he need to know when he knew the most important thing?

"So he's you. Is Heba real too then? I had a dream about him."

"Yes," Yami nodded, "it's a good thing too."

"Why?"

"Heba never let me protect him, never let anyone protect him, this time we get a turn to look after you."

"Are you staying this time for your turn?"

"Of course," Yami was adamant about that, "Atemu remembers in the back of his mind, so I'm here, and I don't want to go anywhere. I didn't get all the time I wanted with Heba or with you. So you might be stuck with me again."

"Good!" Yugi was amazed with the passionate quality of his voice, he found his arms wrapped tightly around Yami's side, squeezing him closer. His head lay stubbornly on the taller man's shoulder and there was a very satisfied smile creeping into Yami's face.

"You've had a good time with him," the Pharaoh muttered as they walked in the darkest corners of the park, away from prying eyes. "He's been a gentleman at least."

"Yeah," he giggled lightly, "it's been nice. Best dates I've had ever."

"I always did everything to live up to your expectations, to surpass them was an honour," Yami leant just a tiny bit closer, "you deserve the best _Aibou_."

"I missed you." Yugi found himself gushing.

"I missed you too." He promised pulling him tight.

"Did…" the smaller shook his head.

"Yes?" Yami prodded as Yugi turned scarlet before he chuckled knowingly. "Were the Pharaoh and Heba really lovers?"

He nodded. He was afraid if he spoke he might squeak.

"For a little while," he elaborated, "at the end of my life. Not that I died very old."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Yugi whispered bemusedly. He wasn't sure what to think, or to feel, with this clarification. Atemu had complicated his perfectly safe relationship with Yami irrevocably.

"I didn't remember until after the Memory World." Yami sighed. "Then I had to leave. It was either that or stay for another thousand years, most of them alone. Besides how would that have been fair on you? I didn't have a body, or anything, to offer you aside from a lifetime of nights sleeping in an empty bed. I couldn't do that to you. I always loved you Yugi." He stressed reverently as they came to a stiff halt in the darkness between two low street lamps. "From the day you woke me up. You and I never needed a specific title. It wouldn't suffice. The Memory World didn't change that, or make me love you anymore completely, it just added a different dimension to it. It wouldn't have added anything to our time together, however, to know about what we couldn't have then. I just wanted to leave with you prepared and knowing full well how much I adored you. You knew that so I was happy."

"So you didn't know about Atemu?"

"I had no idea," Yami swore almost to his own amazement, "if I'd known…I don't know."

"So you're here but…the afterlife?"

"I'm still there too." He shook his head ponderously. "It's complicated."

"When was it ever not?" Yugi answered with a weak little laugh and Yami smiled down at him.

"I didn't want to leave you, I knew we had very good friends to love you at least, but I'm very glad I don't have to again."

"What about Atemu?"

"He's here," Yami muttered, "we're just fractionally divided so to speak. You, nor he and I, really see each other as the same person yet. Call it a mental wall."

Yugi nodded. He didn't really think, not anything, the only thing passing his recognition was Yami's words and his own which came reflexively. He knew Yami would never lie to him, after all, and the truth always felt like the truth in Yugi's experience. Nothing really needed consideration. Yugi couldn't argue with anything the Pharaoh said. Yami was, of course, his protector. He would've taken the position and dangers to Yugi's heart into the utmost consideration when debating whether or not to tell him. Yugi didn't notice because the Pharaoh's mind was so shielded from him in preparation for their duel. He certainly couldn't find a way to be angry.

"I think I'll miss not sharing a head." Yugi half laughed. That was the only thing that bothered him.

"The price of having a body," Yami shrugged a gambler who knew well enough how to cut his losses or weigh the odds, "you'll always know what's going on in my mind regardless."

"What if Atemu wants to leave Japan?"

"He doesn't. He won't. I wouldn't let him."

Yugi did laugh at that though his heart was a little too scrambled to put all his voice into it. Yami smiled so deeply, with his eyes, and Yugi was lost in that too much to care. It was Yami, his Yami, and he felt different to Atemu somehow. Yami shifted him a little, his other arm wrapping securely around Yugi so he could rest his head on Yami's chest and be held for a moment. He'd never wanted to be able to touch Yami, he'd never felt like he needed to or as though he was distanced from Yami or lonely in some way physical contact would mend but feeling it now was incredibly strange. Having Yami tactile and tangible was insane.

Yami nudged Yugi's forehead with his nose delicately and butting his head up so, pushing on to tiptoes, Yugi just moved up into that smile. Yugi didn't think when he ran his hands over Yami's cheeks into his locks, tangling in them, he just kissed him hard and unsurprisingly Yami kissed back. He even kissed different to Atemu. Atemu gave heavenly kisses but Yami's were… Yami's kisses just _knew_ him, not that that made any sense, in a way Atemu did not. Yami held him fast up against him as Yugi clutched his neck, his jaw, his scalp until Yugi was sure they could melt back together again any second.

"Yami," he found himself whispering when they stopped in a desperate, lost, and needy little voice. Yami meet his eyes with that all knowing, all capable, seriousness and was kissing him again just like he needed. Then came air for another second. "I love you too."

"I know," he assured him, as he lowered his head to brush their foreheads. "It's cold, I should take you back to the room."

"You'll keep kissing me."

"Couldn't stop me if you tried."

* * *

><p>They glided past hotel staff. Yugi was floating. Yami's smile utterly shattered the stern face of the midnight to dawn security clerk who had to supervise their coming and going. The desk girl who'd seen Atemu earlier that day, and had smiled back sweetly, turned brilliant scarlet for Yami's radiance. Yugi frankly didn't see anyone else and he had the content satisfaction of knowing, utterly, that no one else was so much as a blip on Yami's radar. They were passing phantoms to the Pharaoh and Yugi was his everything. Everything was fine with the world.<p>

They were in the bed in what felt like a moment so Yami could hold him tightly, his face buried in Yugi's hair inhaling his scent while Yugi kept his face in the bay of the Pharaoh's clavicle. Yugi's whole body was curled up in Yami's, settled, his heart almost seemed to think it didn't need to beat so much with the Pharaoh there to handle everything. Gods…he had forgotten the true depth of this feeling of being totally safe. He'd missed the sensation of knowing he had a God looking over his shoulder who'd made it his personal mission to see Yugi happy.

Yami rubbed his back and Yugi almost fell asleep. He didn't want to. He wanted to stay up with _Mou Hitori No Boku_…

He sounded sixteen again.

He started kissing Yami before he really noticed he was doing it. His lips just brushed against every little patch of skin they could reach under the Pharaoh's perfect chin. It was come and go from there on out. Yugi peppered the length of his neck and Yami emblazoned his forehead with equally languid kisses. Yugi had never been rough, in anything, but there was a distinct undertone of desperation when his hands started wandering over skin tugging up the Pharaoh's shirt.

Yami kissed him harder for that, a tiny scarce of moisture slipping between those lips so they could slide over each other wetly. Yugi's hands weren't bold, rather, they were just accustomed to Yami somehow. Yugi felt his navel, his wing like ribs, up his firm back to rest between two bent shoulder blades and hook his fingers over the rim of where his front met his back to squeeze Yami closer. Yami was cooler than Atemu impossibly, almost liquid like, smooth with an intangible sort of electricity that pulsed through Yugi. Every tiny nerve receptor set up to establish Yugi cells from foreign bodies failed to function and called it a day. Yami was still part of him, body or not, and Yugi wanted to fold them back together.

Yami didn't lead, didn't push, it was only when Yugi's curious, needy, little tongue slipped between those confident lips Yami's came into play and stole the show. Yami let him start, let Yugi show him where he wanted him or what he wanted and then he took over. A minuscule prod and Yami knew precisely what Yugi wanted and how he wanted it. No girl, no lover, not even Atemu, had been so keen or acutely aware of his every motion. When Yugi hiked his outside leg up over Yami's pointed hip, nails digging against the flesh of the Pharaoh's back, Yami's hand was along his flank instantaneously. Yami's weight shifted to his knees so, without separating a molecule of them, he could splay Yugi onto his back and grind his hips down into the other's. Yami didn't tease, or tarry, he held Yugi's thigh in his hand so the smaller could keep it cocked around his waist lips, pursuing down the pale column of Yugi's neck. Yami… he _provided_ with perfect synchronisation and Yugi was struggling to recall why he'd hesitated to let this same body touch his earlier that evening.

Would Atemu ever know how to hold him like this? Yugi struggled to contemplate sewing the two fractions of the Pharaoh together as well as Yami was currently melding their two bodies. There was still some impassable distance between Atemu and Yami, his Yami, his _Mou Hitori No Boku_.

When, or how, did Yami get his shoes off without Yugi noticing? Did he care anymore?

"How did you…?" he giggled, coming up for air.

"Magic," Yami chuckled playfully.

"Got to teach me that one."

"It's only really effective in two or three situations I'll warn you."

"Meh," Yugi laughed, "all bad guys wear heels. It's compulsory. With that I could save the world."

Yami laughed heartily against the alcove where Yugi's jaw and neck intersected, just behind his earlobe, sending unconscious spasms down Yugi's limbs. At the little sound Yugi made Yami restrained himself kissing away the injustice.

"We'll make the world saving a _joint_ effort then," Yami clarified softly, "I'll do the shoe stripping."

"Hmm," that sounded good, normal too, for them anyway. "Love you."

"I know Little One," he whispered, "and you?"

"I know."

He checked himself for any lingering doubt or displeasure like the wave that had descended upon him during his time with Atemu but there was none. It was obliterated by confessions of love and certainties Yugi wished he could bottle for rainy days. So he lay there and gave himself up to the proper care of Yami, let it go, because nothing could go wrong under the Pharaoh's careful eye. He was more guarded than a maximum security prison.

The Pharaoh settled back between Yugi's entangled legs, holding him close. The hand stroking Yugi's thigh began a little quest skirting his inner thigh, up over his covered navel to join its twin, and assist it in removing Yugi's two-day t-shirt. Yugi didn't especially care about how much it did or didn't smell when Yami, rather reverently put it to one side and returned to Yugi's now exposed upper body. He inhaled slowly, eyes darkening at the sight of the hands splayed by Yugi's cheeks and the soft cooing blush over his cheek bones.

"You're perfect," He assured Yugi, slipping his fingers between the smaller boy's as he dove back down into the heat for another wet lipped kiss, making Yugi's back arch up into him.

"You're magnificent," Yugi grinned cheekily.

"Stunning," Yami smirked back.

"Dazzling." He shot seriously.

"Oh!" Yami gasped, as though he were impressed, before countering: "marvellous."

"Supernatural."

"Unearthly."

"Heavenly," Yugi shot back unable to restrain a tiny giggle even as he bit his lip, "I can keep up the adjectives all night Pharaoh. I'll warn you've I've got a minor in English!"

"Truly the rightful King of Games," Yami chuckled, "I imagine that comes in handy when heroic speeches are necessary."

"Oh it's invaluable."

"Your stunning grasp of the English language simply makes me mad for you."

Yugi collapsed into giggles, full blown, and content with his victory Yami peppered kisses along his cheek bones. He didn't know right now why he'd been content to accept Yami's departure especially not when Yami kissed him hard, rapturously, like Yugi was the most precious thing in the universe and shook him down to his bones.

Yami's fingers were released from Yugi's as soon as they twitched, albeit a little reluctantly, requesting permission to roam. His fingertips mapped the groves of Yugi's clavicle followed by a hearty set of lips eager to explore on their own. Yugi cooed, tilting his head back, savouring the nibble of Yami's teeth and the careful slip of his hands. One palm slid over the groves of Yugi's ribs to settle in along his waist, while the other traced the skin of Yugi's pebbled nipple. The duelist found himself moaning softly, long before Yami's hot tongue ran over it, wrenching a needy string of sounds from him. He didn't know he could make half those noises. Was his voice supposed to creep that high and airy?

Yami's entire body felt as though it was shifting down Yugi's leaving a burning, marked, trail. Yugi didn't so much as register the sting of teeth and wet suction from the first love bite that left a dull ache on the thinnest skin of his neck. The nip of Yami's teeth around his already pampered bud called his attention acutely however. When Yami's hands fell into the tender curves of his hips, squeezing, Yami's knees parting to take his weight forcing Yugi's further apart he was surprised at how pained his own voice sounded.

Yami's eyes rose to scan Yugi's flushed face: eye's half lidded, lips parted, panting heavily and smiling. Contented the Pharaoh sent him that smile that filled his eyes more than his lips and the smaller boy all but fell apart.

He resumed his trail of kisses along the tender flesh leading to Yugi's navel, where Yami buried himself happily, tongue thrusting out harshly before vanishing entirely as he sat back once again. Yugi raised his hips half hopeful, half knowing, to let Yami resume undressing him without the slightest hint of hesitation.

Yami had both his knees over one shoulder to tug off Yugi's pants, and underwear, in one easy motion.

He drew his knees in to his chest, spreading them as he stretched them to the toes around Yami's hips with a squeeze.

Yami purred.

The sound was utterly unexpected sending a pulse down Yugi's legs from hip to toe but the glide of Yami's palms against his inner thighs made him restless.

Brow twitching Yugi shuffled himself up by his elbows till he was sitting, leaning into the tension of his arms, and with a few peppered kisses to his shoulders Yami took the hint to lean back so Yugi could gain a better pose. Yugi smiled gratefully, shuffling his legs to something easier to maintain as he sat. As he regained his balance he threaded his arms round Yami's perfect honey sheen shoulders. That put more strain into his legs which had trouble holding him, so far apart, until Yami's hands settled against the small of his back to help. Yami's lips ran over his temples, as Yugi's cheek brushed his, his face slipping into the cove of Yami's neck.

The Pharaoh didn't ask. As always he seemed to comprehend what Yugi was feeling as the boy attempted to map it out for himself. Instead Yami took the time to secure one arm tightly round the small waist and stroke the tense line of Yugi's pale spine.

"I feel bipolar," he muttered half chuckling, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Yami swore with the utmost sincerity. "I understand."

"Hmm," Yugi wished _he_ did but chose to keep his face against that warm, soft, neck lips moving instinctively against it in tiny half-kisses. He exhaled and he felt his muscles ease as Yami held him, with a flex of strength that almost made him swoon, with heady feelings of security. He wanted Yami back. He wanted order in the universe.

If it wasn't for his damn bleeding heart…

He kissed Yami hard. Need, nearly desperate, till there was a clinking brush of teeth from clumsiness. Yami pressed Yugi's bottom lip between both of his and twisting Yugi kissed the corner of his mouth. The contact was one long series of brisk kisses they both seemed uneasy to end. Yugi inhaled sharply, twisting his head just an inch, to try and ease his heart. He remembered the first time he kissed a girl and forgot to breathe during the process amongst his pounding heartbeats. Kissing Yami was like that. The Pharaoh spent that moment he took, filling his lungs, to run his tongue along Yugi's jaw, nibbling a taunt earlobe.

Yugi clutched him and Yami opened his lips till the touch was wetter, his tongue pulsing against the hotspot just behind the curve of the other's ear, till Yugi gave another little sound.

He felt a new surge of heat bubble up within him, burning between his tensed thighs, and then just as rapidly it withdrew in guilt. The whiplash was sickening.

"What is it?" Yami pressed his lips over Yugi's ear. The sound was rich, deep, and the molten breath sent a ripple that made Yugi weak.

"I just feel bad," he admitted, "I don't like taking advantage of Atemu's body. If we're going to… I'd feel like I was betraying his trust. I'm a hypocrite if I deny him but use him to have you. I do want you, though, a fuck of a lot."

Yami smiled tilting his chin close.

"Let us share?"

It all sort of clicked to Yugi. He _could_ have both of them. They both wanted him, he wanted both of them and frankly, it wasn't like it had been, Yami and Atemu were one and the same in a way Yami and Yugi hadn't been. It was harder to tell them apart for one thing, less opposites and more gooey weak-knee inducing powers on both sides.

"Please?" He whispered pressing his fresh, naked, body up closer into Yami as if giving the Pharaoh permission to consume him. "This isn't going to be right without all of you."

Yami smiled brilliantly and then Atemu appeared to break loose, fingers tangling harshly in Yugi's hair for a bruising kiss which lessened as Yugi returned it with his own feverish pressing. When the arm around him tightened like a vice, Yugi's hands weakened about the Pharaoh's shoulders slipping to cup his still kissing cheeks. It was as if the Pharaoh, now both Atemu and Yami, felt he finally had permission to take charge without worrying Yugi would ease back in a moment of cold feet.

Yugi knew his control was slipping, there'd be a lot less asking from Yami but it was no longer necessary. He'd stopped thinking of them as Atemu or Yami, the idea all swirled up, and he trusted his Pharaoh to know what to do with him. Yami's hands grasped at the undersides of Yugi's thighs grinding them up together, deepening the kiss so tightly Yugi forgot to breath again and had to throw his head back with a giggle.

"_I fucking love you,"_ Yami or Atemu rasped, though technically it was both and Yugi laughed harder his fingers slinking from his cheeks into the Pharaoh's hair as those dusty lips fell against his neck like a starving man.

Yugi cooed weakly, digging his fingers into the Pharaoh's hair as, with amazing force, he ground them together again with a bruising grip into Yugi's thighs. The little coo turned into a fuller moan and pushing his heels into the mattress, fingers locked in Yami's hair, he pulled the other down atop him. What followed next was a mess of skin on skin generating sweat till eventually the Pharaoh rose on his elbows and began fumbling along the bedside table.

"Hmm?" Yugi whined inquisitively. The fumbling was one thing but when the kissing stopped Yugi wanted to know why.

"Lube," the Pharaoh mumbled forcing more weight onto his knees so he could lift himself higher in his quest. "Hold on."

Yugi very quickly resembled a baby koala.

"Let me guess," he smirked, "the floor is made of lava?"

"Yeah," Yugi snorted, "It's too dangerous to go alone."

"Sadly the lube's in my bag and you're heavier than you used to be."

"Saliva?" He prompted hopefully stirring a few more chuckles. Yami was way too hot to be allowed out of arm's length he'd decided because apparently Egyptian skin absorbed twice as much sunlight as regular human skin. That at least was Yugi's current working theory. Though in Yugi's mind Egyptians fit on the list somewhere just after Kyrptonians and Vampires.

"Definitely a virgin." Yami chuckled. "I'd rather not leave blood stains all over the thousand thread count sheets."

"It'd be a great souvenir."

"Well we can prove to the commons the union was consummated if nothing else. You're certainly thinking ahead." The Pharaoh quirked sarcastically, "seriously though _Aibou_ you need to let me go for just a second."

"Alright," he sighed easing his grip, "I'll time you."

"I better run then." He chuckled with a parting kiss.

Yugi released him, slumming back into his elbows to watch Yami's retreating back. The chocolaty line of the man's spine, the proud shoulder blades, the general artistry of the lines of skin… yeah, Yugi drifted on a little happy thought for a moment watching the Pharaoh fumble through his organised chaos for man's original best friend (move over canines). Eventually he came ambling back, flexing the little bottle in his fingers with a pointed wink, unbuckling his pants as he approached.

"Hold on now," Yugi called with soft, trilling, amusement. "You seem to assume you're getting laid. Whatever gave you that impression?"

"Oh I'm sorry," the Pharaoh chuckled drawing his knee up onto the mattress, "somewhere between the come-hither eyes and our souvenir discussion I just sort of _assumed_."

"That was before you spent an eternity questing."

"That was a very short window of opportunity."

"I'm a short guy," Yugi giggled.

"That's low," Atemu cackled, and Yugi fell back against the sheets in another fit of giggles.

"You know," he laughed opening his arms to welcome the Pharaoh back into them, fingers trailing up the handsome forearms, "this wasn't the swoony mess I imagined my first time to be."

"You try for that the first time and it just feels ridiculous," his partner assured him, "mine was a disaster for almost that reason. Something lighter, more unassuming, has more endurance through all the hesitating and uncertainty. I prefer it when you're making me laugh and melt at the same time."

Yugi cooed grasping the Pharaoh's upper arms so he could pull himself up to pepper kisses along his jaw in a way that made the taller man purr gently. He became aware, slowly, of the way the Pharaoh's knuckles brushed against his inner thighs as the man ran his hands over each other curiously. Yugi watched his face and, with a little smile, the Pharaoh planted a tender kiss on his nose. The line between Atemu's cheeky confidence, Yami's swoon-inducing control and the Pharaoh's noble bearing had become so blurred any name felt appropriate now. It was nice for this to be all new and yet totally, eerily, familiar.

His toes curled, fingers locked around the Pharaoh's shoulders as the older man left a few softer kisses against his cheeks and, on Yugi's cautious inhale, ran a slick finger tip against him. It was totally teasing, brief, and Yugi jumped his cheeks tinging immediately despite his valiant efforts not to blush. Yami's fingers ran over a deliriously sensitive trail of skin between his arousal and his entrance before falling back against him with a fleeting sense of pressure.

Yugi gasped.

"That feels _so_ weird…" He shivered as Yami stroked the tender skin in slow, natural, circles. It was embarrassing and heart racing all at once. It wasn't immediately pleasant but somehow the weirdness of it intensified the level of tickling heat between Yugi's thighs.

"Ten thousand nerve endings." His partner informed him knowingly. "Very sensitive."

"I can tell," Yugi murmured, squirming with twitching knees and curling toes.

"There's a reason people do it this way," he swore with a grin, kissing Yugi's vermillion cheekbones as he remained poised over him.

"It's…" Yugi bit his lip as Yami's slick touch pressed firmly, back and forth, without ever attempting to slip his index finger inside. Yugi's body was quickly losing its initial tension. The feeling was somehow perversely pleasant and the silent assurance he had that Yami would acclimatise him slowly made the whole experience less diving in and more easing in.

"Yes," the Pharaoh whispered in agreement, grasping Yugi's lips with his to free the boy's pouting bottom lip from his teeth.

"Ah!" Speaking became very difficult as, holding his gaze nose-to-nose, Yami sunk a testing fingertip past Yugi's wavering resistance.

Yugi felt his muscles flex, his tendons tighten, but with a practiced, smooth, and deliriously slow motion Yami eased the rest of his slickened index finger inside. Yugi found himself gasping. His heart fluttered and at once all ten thousand of those nerve endings seemed acutely aware of every motion. Yami remained poised, still, trespassing into virgin territory as Yugi caught his breath. It was beyond odd. Totally unnatural but yet the feeling of being _invaded_ had a disturbingly pronounced effect on him. The very idea that any part of Yami was inside him was so, so, _so good…_ even if it wasn't completely comfortable. Yugi suddenly had a profound respect for women.

Yugi sighed and eased his spine, resting his head into the pillow so, smiling, the Pharaoh knew he had adjusted. The digit slid slicking out, almost completely, and then sunk back in one deep thrust.

"_Oh!_" Yugi gasped oddly. There was a rush at that motion that made his entire body tighten as the sensation bottomed out. Then Yami curled the damn finger, like he was beckoning, and Yugi found himself making a strangled little coo, eyes wide. He was damn sure that was what it felt like to have an alien trying to eat your intestines but it was fucking incredible.

Yami chuckled but the tenor of his voice was much deeper. While Yugi could only manage a cursory glance, thoroughly distracted by his own moans when the Pharaoh resumed short even thrusts, he could see how tightly strung the older man had become. His lover was thoroughly enjoying the show.

The Pharaoh held his hip gently as, without warning, a second finger tip joined the first in the fluid motion. The pair sunk into him together before Yugi had time to tense in anticipation of the newest sensation. It was so skilfully done he gave a little torn purr, knees twitching open further, heart pounding steadily. Between the mounting sweat and artificial slickness the whole length of Yugi's inner thighs were becoming wet. He kinda loved it. It took only three long, languid, thrusts before Yami was working to fingers into him quickly. He drew back, thrust forward and curled so perfectly Yugi's conscious mind had a little smoke break. When the Pharaoh sunk back on his knees so he could grasp a pebbled nipple between his teeth however Yugi's mind threw up its hands and declared a public holiday.

Three fingers was a tight fit, the way the digits had to press together had to be painful, and forcing them in wasn't easy for Yami but Yugi _loved_ it. The stretch added to the already furious sensation of slick skin and intrusion that made him want to die there and then in a happy little bubble. The only downside was that, as tight as the fit was, Yami couldn't sink as deeply into Yugi as he'd become quickly accustomed to with the two, better proportioned, fingers.

Yugi felt his hips rock with the readily leant assistance of his feet and calves, back arching, trying to work Yami's fingers deeper. His cheeks had lost their colour, flushed, and Yugi was pretty sure if he got any hotter his skin might just peel off.

When Atemu, Yami, the Pharaoh, whatever-the-hell he was calling his Lover right now withdrew his digits Yugi slumped as though he'd just had his puppet strings cut. In an odd turn of strength Yugi grabbed at the man, desperate, taking care to trace every tendon and vein of muscle in the tender neck as he bit wetly at his lips. The Pharaoh's arms secured around him, squeezing him close, very dearly, and releasing him gently back into the sheets after a moment. They exhaled heartily as if they were both sharing the same pocket of air, which Yugi supposed was true, and then the Pharaoh sat back.

"Ready to try the real deal?" He asked gently.

"Hell yes." Yugi answered as though it were the stupidest question uttered in five thousand years of human history because, frankly, it was.

"We'll take it easy," the Pharaoh warned him, "if you don't like it or it gets too much we'll stop. We've got all the time in the world."

"That's nice dear," the smaller quipped cheekily, letting it waft over him.

"It's harder than it looks the first time."

"I bet it is." Yugi grinned and Atemu's straight face fell into chuckles.

"You're supposed to take this seriously."

"You said it was more fun if we didn't."

"True, darn," he sighed, "got me on a technicality. Alright, fine, have it your way."

"That's my favourite! How'd you know?"

The Pharaoh fell onto his palms, shaking his head with a beaming smirk plastered across his face. The very sight of it spread a smile as sweet as honey onto Yugi's features, with a corresponding warm glow of pride in his stomach.

"You're incorrigible." The Pharaoh tutted patting his hip. "On your knees for me please little one, it's easier that way."

"Argh, effort on my part…" Yugi groaned forcing himself onto his elbows under Yami's caging limbs.

"Well," the elder whispered pressing his lips very close to Yugi's earlobe, "it also means I can thrust deeper. Better angle."

"Why didn't you say so." He giggled with a shivering blush he did his best to mask when he crawled, hunched under Yami, onto his knees.

When the Pharaoh sat back onto his knees, hands gliding into the groves of Yugi's hips, lips brushing the small of his back with loving tenderness the little one found himself quaking on his straining elbows to bury his face in the pillows.

Yugi inhaled and he wasn't scared, not at all, he didn't have any reason to be. Not as far gone as he was. He had that confidence that only came with trust. He knew, not hoped _knew_, that the Pharaoh would take every possible care and then some with him. He wasn't afraid in a moment of selfish passion his comfort would be forgotten which, again, gave him a profound respect for the women who allowed nonsense like this regularly from stupider males. He the entire Pharaoh too: Atemu and Yami, which meant all guilt and all hesitation were gone too. He was _not_ going to regret this.

Yugi gasped but the sound tumbled into a little moan, fingers curling, when the Pharaoh ran one damp hand over his back side and then teasing rubbed the tip of his arousal against his terribly oversensitive entrance. That was just _evil_. Atemu need to do it again.

"Oh…" Yugi purred when his prayers were answer. It was enough to make him ache for his newest addiction to penetration. When Yami fell forward and nipped his neck, suckling, and he could smell all that nutmeg he let his eyes roll back. "You… tease me anymore and I am so not responsible for my actions…" he panted.

"Duly noted," the Pharaoh promised but not without chuckling into the keen skin.

"You're so…"

"Amazing?"

"Fucking evil was mine," Yugi scoffed breathlessly, "but yeah, we'll go with that, why not?"

"You're beautiful." The Pharaoh swore with dire intent, kissing the little alcove behind Yugi's ear with bruising force.

In that half a second of swoon induced distraction his dangerously talented lover tightened his grasp on Yugi's hips and thrust. It wasn't much before Yugi noticed, gasping and tensing, but was enough of a lapse for the Pharaoh to work the hot, blunt, tip inside him. Yugi's fingers dug tighter into his palm and while it wasn't painful, it was disarming in the yummy wrongness of the sensation. He recovered quickly enough though. Once he got over the initial shock he found his upper body sinking lower into the bed to force his arse up higher for more. He wanted that depth. He wanted that feeling of bottoming out in a thrust Yami's finger's had inspired and he had an inkling of how good it might feel with a bit more to dole out.

He guessed Yami was big, he wasn't small at any rate, but more importantly Yugi didn't _care_. The Pharaoh could've been a god, which he technically was, and Yugi would've given a rat's right now so long as he rutted him.

"Holy sweet…Jesus-fucking-Christ mother of Mary…"

"I don't think that's quite how it goes," Atemu laughed breathlessly and all Yugi could do was moan. "You okay?"

"_More_." He pleaded. "Yesterday."

"Breathe," the Pharaoh ordered hotly, the very emphasis made Yugi want to roll over from the way it made his thighs tingle. "You're too tight…"

"That's bad?" Yugi scoffed.

"_Fuck no_."

He shuddered and Yami inched slickly in, the motion of it was better than when the Pharaoh was stationary and, in another flicker of shock, Yugi forced himself to push back moaning so the motion could continue. The hands around his hips became arms and in a few haggard breaths he had the Pharaoh, all of the Pharaoh, or rather he had Yugi? Who cared! Yugi was too busy making this high little sound that was unsure of whether it wanted to be a moan, a groan, a purr, strangled sigh or a hiccup. Yami's hips bumped into his, even though he couldn't go any further, and suddenly the sound was definitely a forced hiccup. The Pharaoh seemed to love it from the rapturous moan he gave in response.

"_Fuck fuck fuck_…" Yugi whispered. Not his most charming or coherent moment. His palms were burning from the way he was digging his nails into them but it felt so good in contrast he hardly noticed.

Oh every God above. Yami thrust. It was barely half and inch but Yugi nearly screamed. So did Yami actually. It was awesome. Yugi's hips bumped back into Yami as he slid forward, desperate for that feeling, and then the Pharaoh did it again and everything was blissfully right with the world. Yugi was even starting to like that strangled hiccup noise he was making as if he were a baby bird.

Atemu rocked, he held him and he moved. The tightness was almost suffocating but every thrust became longer, smoother, _better_. The short, fast, pounding was one thing. It made Yugi feel like the air was being punched out of him but when Yami drew back and sunk in, the same way you dug teeth languidly into an apple, it was all too much. It was so conquering.

"Ah…ah…oh…"

Yugi bit his lip.

"Don't stop," Atemu pleaded raggedly, "you sound so good."

That was all the command Yugi needed to forget he sounded like a wounded animal. Yami drove into him hard and Yugi had to brace himself as he lost air. He loved this. He'd been a virgin for twenty-two years why? People hated anal because? What the fuck was wrong with the world?

His hips were shortly in sync with Atemu's and he found himself frustratingly close but unable to totally scratch that itch. He moved awkwardly, leaning all his weight onto his forehead and one lone, brave, elbow as he slipped his second arm between his legs to stroke with dire urgency. It was gooey, so good, his hips seemed to need no help of their own to balance and work into Yami's motion but that coupled with his own fumbling touches felt deep and molten in a way touching himself alone never had. That was very safe to say.

Yami contrastly didn't need any help to get there, Yugi's body was taking care of that but when he climaxed and those thrusts became unpredictable it was all the push Yugi needed to cross over the edge.

"Uh-ah!" It sounded tortured, broken, and Yugi was bucking, purring, flexing.

The Pharaoh seemed to reach his heights all over again, moaning so loud it almost constituted a scream. He held Yugi as he contracted in spasms, easing off their motions with a final set of languid thrusts into the smaller body as it milked him. While they slowed Yugi's panting, desperate, sounds fell into a pathetic little patter of cooing sighs.

His heart was pounding in his ears when Yami withdrew and gave him permission to splatter boneless onto the mattress. The Pharaoh, panting, shifted Yugi gently to his back to make room for his own body which was quaking with the effort of staying aloft. When he slumped down beside him it was all Yugi could manage, with his weak fingers, to drag him close and all Atemu could do to wrap his arms around him before they gave up all semblance of life. The Pharaoh didn't hold him, rather he lay around him, while Yugi caught his breath in his chest. It was delicious though, comforting, and perfect even if Yami was still wearing his damn jeans after all the chaos.

That stupid, dwindling, thing called consciousness came back to them slowly but even then Yugi was exhausted. Still, it made Yami squeeze him close and that was worth a swooning coo. Anything outside that would have to take a rain check.

"I love you," Atemu repeated tenderly, fingers carding through Yugi's damp hair.

"Love you too," he mumbled. "Welcome back."

Eventually Yugi giggled.

"Does sex get any better than that?" He asked.

"If you remember anything from Heba it'll get a hell of a lot kinkier," Atemu cackled weakly.

"Sign me up."

"In the morning," the Pharaoh promised.

"Good," Yugi sighed happily, "I'm exhausted..."

"You've no idea."

"Sleep?" He proposed hopefully.

"Definitely." Atemu concluded, kissing his forehead.

Yugi didn't worry. Not about Heba or the puzzle or technicalities or anything outside Atemu-Yami's perfect arms and the fact he got to sleep curled in them. It was completing. All the security of being coddled by a parent and all the joy of being adored by a lover, another person, that made Yugi squeeze the other man tighter and not ever want to move.

* * *

><p>"Well that was Marik," Atemu laughed laying Yugi's cell back on the bedside table in the morning, "he found plenty on Heba in the Pharaoh's tomb. It was still untranslated because the Ishtars only recently found it, thanks to your Grandfather's account. Half of it's in Greek though."<p>

"That's a relief. I gather, from how long you spent on there, that he got the gist of who you were too?" Yugi grinned against his palms curled with them cradling his cheek.

"He's insatiable for details," the Pharaoh chuckled collapsing back against the mattress and drawing Yugi too him, "he doesn't know how we expect to keep it from the others but he demands to know exactly how it pans out. Oh and apparently you and I have to visit them _immediately_."

"Oh immediately?" Yugi parroted to the Pharaoh's equally mischievous grin while their noses brushed, "so we'll take our time I suspect?"

"Well, I for one am not leaving this bed for the rest of the day, at least, the week if I can keep you away from your pants."

"We've got to tell Jou." Yugi murmured thoughtfully passing over the teasing though he allowed the Pharaoh to jostle him properly into his arms. "In person too, Grandpa has to know ASAP, then Otogi and Honda when they come back to town next week, we'll trick Kaiba into meeting us-"

"Devious," Atemu snorted, "I still can't believe he hired Jou full time…"

"-Got to use the webcam for Anzu, Marik will tell Ishizu and Rishid…" He paled distinctly as he trailed off forcing himself up upon his elbows, the sheets pooling about his still very bare hips, "Pharaoh, if you're here, is there any chance…?"

Atemu frowned at him curiously until recognition seeped through that ghost of a mind link and he too turned a rather sickly shade.

"No…" he muttered firmly though he seemed to be staring right through Yugi. "There's absolutely now way…"

"I should call Ryou," Yugi concluded to the very unconvincing ramblings of his other half.

"That's probably for the best yes."

The Pharaoh leant back against the headboard stiffly during Yugi's dialling, his arms snug low around the smaller's hips, holding him in his lap half for comfort and half for ease dropping.

"_Hell-_"

"Ryou?" Yugi snapped urgently. "Are-"

"_Yugi?_" The melodious voice cried pleasantly. "_Oh thank goodness you called! I haven't had credit or a moment to call you all week! Listen-_"

"Are you safe?" Yugi rushed ahead without giving his companion much chance to respond. "Cause listen, Ryou, I don't know how to start here so you'll have to forgive me for not being gentler but I'll just come flat out with you. The Pharaoh's back and-"

He sounded so demanding that Ryou started to laugh across the line, shrugging off Yugi's genuine concern gently.

"_He is? I suspected so! That's actually what I wanted to call you about funnily_." Ryou began with such cordial serenity Yugi didn't know how he did it. "_See this lovely chap called Akefia showed up just a few days ago and, well, I've had plenty of suspicions. You just know don't you? How'd they manage it this time though?_"

"He's there?" Yugi balked. "Are you alright?"

"_Oh yes! I'm fine!_" Ryou seemed a little like he didn't believe if himself. "_He's really rather sweet amazingly! Such a mama's boy, I can't stop him when he gets to yammering about his family, he adores them. As he should all things considered._"

"You sure?"

"_Yes, don't worry about me at all_," he swore casually, "_he's harmless. I've seen a glimmer or two that…passionate violence but it's hardly a ghost of our Bakura._"

"I'm stunned…" Yugi snorted bemusedly, "well… the details are a little complicated but I'm just relieved you're alright honestly."

"_Well email me the nitty gritty. Unless there's something dangerous I desperately need to know?_" Ryou suggested. "_You sound tired._"

"I'm…" Yugi laughed. "You're too sweet for your own good. I'll send you everything I know okay? Look after yourself. Get some credit too in case you have an emergency!"

"_I will,_" he promised lightly, "_you are my emergency contact person on everything Yugi. If I wind up in hospital you'll be the very first to know. Now don't stress and go get some more sleep._"

"Okay," he conceded, "I'm interested to meet your new friend soon."

"_Oh you will I think. When he's not possessing me, or turning friends into game pieces, or raising evil pagan gods you can appreciate his charismatic personality and dashing good looks unabated. Besides…_" Ryou began with a conspiratorial cackle. "_He doesn't have the foggiest idea how to play Duel Monsters!_"

"Well…" Yugi found himself giggling a moment later. "Ryou sounds like he's on top of the whole thing."

"That's a little concerning."

"You kidding? It's _hilarious_. We beat the bad out of Bakura with that last duel! I think you broke him!"

* * *

><p><em>~Epilogue~<em>

Yugi had always loved Spring in Domino. When every side street was peppered with scraggly cherry blossoms and the park was heavy with new foliage and dopey tourists. He'd loved it at six with his mother, at sixteen with his first real friends, at eighteen after the flight home from Egypt, at twenty-two with Atemu and now at twenty-six waiting for the Pharaoh to hurry up.

More than anything, whether it was all the adventure, or the romance, or the mystery, Yugi especially loved meeting up with old friends. Even if they did go running off right away. There was a very subtle certainty instilled in him now that people always ended up drifting back together.

"Who was that?" Atemu asked as he reappeared with two hefty ice creams, watching the fleeing boy disappear amongst the crowded civilians.

"Did you know Kiaba's Duel Academy opens today?" Yugi diverted carefully taking the ice cream in hand from under the Pharaoh's suspicious gaze.

"You're stirring trouble aren't you?"

"Avoiding it actually," Yugi promised a cheeky grin seeping past his straight-faced defences, "nothing to worry about Atemu."

"I wonder if it's dangerous for kids to get involved with Duel Monsters sometimes."

"Why? Afraid all the video games are going to rot their brains?" The smaller boy laughed mildly.

"More concerned with the inter-dimensional evil forces actually." Atemu snorted. "That and, of course, the rap music."

"Well Duel Monsters has been the preferred form of supernatural combat in this dimension for what, ten thousand years? Even Dartz knew how to play. I'd think it's important that we've got good Duelists for tomorrow's big baddies."

"You just want more time off," Atemu accused saucily.

"Colour me guilty of leaning to a nine-to-five."

"You'd snap after a week of mundane stability."

"Is that a challenge~?"

"Under a few conditions," Atemu smirked, "and if I win you have to take that overseas vacation with me."

"_Argh,_ we just got back from thrashing that cult in Venice…" Yugi sighed in consideration. Atemu didn't really understand the meaning of 'vacation' in the traditional sense, "but I can't very well let you win a dare…"

"Well then." Atemu had such a smug little grin plastered over his face Yugi was determined to wipe it off. He wanted three more peaceful university attending, face stuffing, sex having weeks in Domino before the next little disaster.

"It's on," he decided swiping at his ice cream, "by the way, do you remember that duel against Paradox? Cause Jaden's looking great today."

The look on Atemu's face was priceless.

* * *

><p>AN: So that was my pointless little present for you all. I really hope you enjoyed it. Especially my first posted lemon in _years_.

There is a whole fic that could be written about Heba/Atemu coming together in their past life, after all there is a lot about the _why_ and_ how_ Yugi solved the puzzle that I can't cover in this fic, but it is a little bittersweet. Understanding the Pharaoh's got to die to put it bluntly to keep as close to canon as possible. I can't promise that will _ever_ be written but if it is you will all be the first to know. Keep an eye on my live journal if you're interested!

For any reviewers wondering, by the way, this present doesn't mean I will be continuing my old YuGiOh fics unfortunately. I wrote them when I was twelve! So nothing new there but please don't let that dishearten you. Even if those fics aren't going to be finished I'm enjoying posting mini YuGiOh stuff, Harry Potter, Zoids and other assorted fan fiction. So I'm not dead and I'm very glad to see you all with new material. (Frankly I think this was a damn sight better than the shoddy work I did all those years ago.)

Being back in the YuGiOh archive has been lovely! Drop me a line if you want my msn or something like that lovelies and don't be shy. Please have a wonderful new year and hopefully I will see you again.


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